Carrot Cake Showstopper Food

SURPRISE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the carrots, sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually beat into carrot mixture until blended. Stir in the pecans. Pour 3 cups batter into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan., In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg. Spoon over batter. Top with remaining batter. , Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely., For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cake. Store in the refrigerator.

THE BEST CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the cake. Mix well with a hand-held mixer. Divide the batter into the prepared cake pan.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• Allow cakes to cool for 5 minutes in the pans and then remove from pans and cool completely.
• Once the cakes have cooled, frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. Garnish cake with chopped pecans, if desired.
• In a bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla.
• Mix with a hand-held mixer until light and fluffy.

EASY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.
• Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins.
• To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Best eaten at room temperature.