Carrot Cake Natashas Kitchen Food

THE CARROT CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 round cake pans.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
• In a large bowl beat eggs on high speed until foamy (1 min), Add 1 cup honey and beat on high another 4 min. Blend in 1/2 cup canola oil, 2 tsp vanilla and applesauce.
• Add in the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time and mix until it is just incorporated into the batter.
• Use a spatula to fold in the grated carrots and walnuts (if using) just until combined.
• Divide the batter equally among the two cake pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes; a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (mine was closer to 30 min).
• Tip: While cakes are in the oven make your frosting and refrigerate frosting until ready to use.
• Remove cakes form the oven and once they are cool enough to handle, remove from cake molds and let them cool completely to room temp before assembling and frosting your cake. Note: if the cakes are still warm, your frosting will melt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix the 2 sticks of butter with 2 cups powdered sugar on low speed or until combined (1 min) Don't start on high speed or you will be surrounded in a cloud of powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy (2 min).
• Add cream cheese 1-piece at a time and mix until combined. (I waited maybe 3 seconds in between each piece; it's one after another really. Once all of the cream cheese is incorporated. continue to beat 1 more minute.
• Add 1 Tbsp vanilla and mix until combined (1 min). Refrigerate frosting until ready to use.
• Place your first (fully cooled) cake layer down on a cake platter. Cover the top generously with frosting.Top with the second cake layer and frost the top and sides until smooth.
• I pulled the frosting up all around the cake (If you don't have an icing knife, you can use a spoon) to make the "column" effect on the sides. I then used my WILTON 1M large frosting tip and a pastry bag to pipe the pattern all around the top rim of the cake.
• Top the cake (staying inside the border) with toasted coarsely chopped walnuts and drizzle generously with honey. This cake is best eaten the same day, but refrigerate the cake if not serving right away and let it sit at least 1 hour at room temp before serving to give the frosting and cake a chance to soften up.

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line with rounds of parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray.
• Make the cake: With an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Add the walnuts, coconut, carrot puree and pineapple and beat until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
• Bake the layers until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the layers cool in the pans for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each pan and turn the layers out onto wire racks that have been coated with cooking spray. Let the layers cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Combine the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until fully combined. Add the vanilla.
• Slice each cake layer horizontally in half using a serrated knife. Place 1 layer on a cake plate and frost with 1/2 cup frosting. Continue stacking the remaining layers, using about 1/2 cup frosting between each layer. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Press the chopped walnuts into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CARROT & BANANA CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 160C (325F).
• Grease 24cm round springform tin, line base with baking paper.
• Sift flours, baking soda, spices and sugar into large bowl, stir in carrot and nuts.
• Beat eggs and oil together and add to dry ingredients, together with banana.
• Mix well.
• Pour mixture into prepared tin.
• Bake for about 1 1/4 hours.
• Cool cake in pan.