Carrot Ginger Loaves With Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting Food

CARROT-GINGER LAYER CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM-CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper and butter. Dust pans with flour and tap out any excess. Set aside. Spread pecans in a single layer on an ungreased baking pan and toast in oven until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand until completely cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees. Finely chop pecans and set aside.
• Place carrots, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla, sugar, and ginger in a large bowl; mix until well combined.
• Into a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until combined. Fold in the butter and toasted pecans.
• Divide batter between the two cake pans and bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove pans from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto rack; let stand until completely cool.
• Using a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so surfaces are level. Place a layer on a cake stand or cardboard round and spread 3/4 cup frosting over top. Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of assembled cake. Transfer to refrigerator and chill 3 to 4 hours.
• For the candied carrot strips, set a wire rack over a baking pan. Using fingers, lift one candied carrot strip from the sugar syrup, holding it over the container. With the thumb and forefinger of your other hand, gently squeeze the carrot strip and slide your fingers along its length, removing as much excess syrup as possible; lay the carrot strip on the wire rack. Repeat with remaining carrot strips.
• Decorate cake with candied carrot strips as desired. Cut cake and serve.

CARROT GINGER LOAVES WITH GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour loaf pans and set aside. Omit this step if using disposable paper pans.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in carrots and ginger until fully incorporated.
• Divide batter between three mini loaf pans or a single standard loaf pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; approximately 25-30 minutes for mini loaves or 40-45 minutes for standard loaf.
• For the frosting, beat together PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, confectioners' sugar and grated ginger until light and fluffy. Spread over cooled loaves.

CARROT CAKE WITH GINGER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt onto a large piece of parchment (or into a medium bowl). Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and add the eggs, one at a time; beat until light and smooth, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the applesauce, orange zest and vanilla and beat until just smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Add the carrots and 3/4 cup walnuts and beat until just combined.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then remove to the rack to cool completely; remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made a day ahead; let cool completely, then wrap in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Peel the ginger and grate onto a piece of cheesecloth. Wrap in the cheesecloth and squeeze the juice into a small bowl (you should get about 1 tablespoon). Add the orange juice and vanilla to the bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the juice mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until smooth, about 2 more minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a platter, rounded-side down. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then top with the second cake layer, rounded-side down. Cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Press the remaining walnuts into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

ZESTY CARROT & GINGER LOAF

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter then line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, treacle, syrup and half the zests into a large saucepan. Heat gently until everything has melted together.
• Add the carrot, ¾ of the chopped ginger, all the flour, bicarb, ¼ tsp salt, the ground ginger, pepper and eggs to the pan and stir well until you have a smooth batter. Pour into the tin and bake for 45 mins, or until dark brown and risen and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool for 20 mins in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add the remaining zests, then stir in enough lemon juice (about 4 tsp should do it) to make a smooth, thick icing. Cover the surface of the icing with cling film until ready to decorate the cake.
• When the cake is completely cool, spread the icing over the top and let it dribble down the sides. Scatter with the reserved chopped ginger. Allow to set, then cut into slices and serve.

CARROT GINGER CUPCAKES WITH SPICED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare cake batter as directed on package using water/milk and 2 eggs.
• Stir in carrots, ginger, 3/4 t. cinnamon and walnuts.
• Spoon batter into 24 paper lined muffin cups.
• Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
• Beat cream cheese in medium bowl with wire whisk until smooth.
• Gently stir in whipped topping.
• Spread with reserved 1/4 t. cinnamon.
• Refrigerate until ready to serve.

GINGER-CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and ginger; beat until fluffy and smooth. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature, then beat until fluffy before using.)