Carrot Cake

CARROT CAKE

Cupcake Ranking: 2

I LOVE Carrot Cake.  I'm not sure if it is the cream cheese frosting or the spiciness of the cake.  But it is delicious.  Anyway, this cake was okay but not fabulous.  I have a standard carrot cake that I make and this just didn't measure up.  The taste was pretty cake but it was super dense not thick, dense and fluffy like it is supposed to be!  But I digress.  Anyway, this is fine for a basic carrot cake but not my fav.  The frosting is CRAZY GOOD.  It will definetely be my standard cream cheese frosting from here on out.

Ingredients

2 1/2 C All-purpose Flour, plus more for pans

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp Coarse salt

1/2 tsp Ground Ginger

1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg

3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted Butter, room temperature, plus more for pans

1 C packed Brown sugar

1/2 C Granulated Sugar

3 large Eggs

2 tsp pure Vanilla extract

1/2 C Water

1 pound Carrots (8 to 10 medium carrots), peeled and shredded on a box grater or in a food processor (about 2 3/4 cups)

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment paper, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg.

 

Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat 3 minutes. Add vanilla, water, and carrots. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture. 

 

Scrape batter into prepared pans, dividing evenly. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes (about 20 in my oven). Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cakes to loosen, and turn out cakes onto rack. Turn right side up, and let cool completely.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

 

1 pound (16 ounces) Cream cheese, room temperature

2 tsp pure Vanilla extract

1 C (2 sticks) unsalted Butter, cut into pieces, room temperature

2 pounds Confectioners' sugar, sifted (about 8 Cups)

 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and vanilla until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. With mixer on medium speed, gradually add butter, beating until incorporated.

 

Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add sugar, beating until incorporated.

Using a serrated knife, trim rounded top of 2 cakes. Place one trimmed cake, cut side up, on a serving platter. Spread 1 cup (ish or just till it looks like you want it to) frosting over cake. Top with second trimmed cake, cut side down.  Spread remaining frosting over top and sides (I had lots extra so just frost as thick as you want the icing to be). Gently press coarsely chopped pecans onto sides of cake (I didn't but definetely an option). Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Rach's Tips

As I mentioned above, this cake was decent.  It is a yummy cake but not my favorite carrot cake recipe.  The frosting was a definite keeper.  The recipe is straightforward, but I don't think I'll make it again.