Carrot Cake With Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Food

CARROT CAKE WITH MAPLE-CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. Divide batter between prepared pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.
• For icing:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup icing. Top with second layer. Spread remaining icing over entire cake. Arrange walnut halves around top edge. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

CARROT CAKE WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and raisins, if using them. Divide batter among cupcake molds, filling 3/4 of each.
• Bake cupcakes 14 to 18 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool in pans for five minutes or so, then transfer cakes to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before icing them.
• To make a carrot layer cake: Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans instead of cupcake molds. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, and bake the layers for about 40 minutes each, or until a tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.
• In a stand mixer beat all the ingredients on medium until fluffy. Chill the frosting for 10 to 20 minutes, until it has set up enough to spread smoothly.
• The spazzy star decorations were created by putting the maple cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and dolloping away. An extra layer of dollops were piped nearer to the center, to create a domed effect.
• To assemble a carrot layer cake, frost the top of one cake, place the other cake on top. Frost the sides and top, swirling decoratively. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set up frosting.

OLD-FASHIONED CARROT CAKE WITH MAPLE-CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Using electric mixer, beat sugar, oil and eggs in large bowl until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt; beat until blended. Stir in carrots and walnuts. Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on rack 15 minutes. Run small knife between pan sides and cakes to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.
• Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup icing over. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining icing over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake 1 hour or up to 1 day. Serve at room temperature.

BEST CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• First prepare the cake.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine all cake ingredients (brown sugar, oil, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, carrots and pecans) in a large bowl.
• Pour batter into a 13x9 inch cake pan or two 8 inch round cake pans that have been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes (if using 13x9) or until toothpick comes out clean but cake is still moist.
• Allow cake to cool and prepare cream cheese frosting.
• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla.
• Cover cooled cake with frosting, slice and serve.
• You may want to keep it in the fridge if you aren't going to be eating it right away because of the cream cheese in the frosting.

CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Blend in dry pudding mix. Gently stir in carrots and raisins. Pour into 13x9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.
• Bake 45 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.
• Beat cream cheese, butter and syrup in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Spread over top of cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.