Carrot Pound Cake Food

THE BEST CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with spray.
• Cover the raisins with very hot water and let sit until plump, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and then chop 1 cup of the pecans; reserve for the cake batter. Pulse the remaining 1/2 cup pecans in a food processor until very finely ground; reserve for garnish.
• Combine the carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually stream in the oil. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the carrot mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the raisins and chopped pecans with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioner' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: When the cakes are completely cool, trim the domes of each cake round with a large serrated knife so the tops are flat. Place one cake, cut-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over top. Place the remaining cake, cut-side down, on top. Spread the top with another 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1 1/2 cups frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively if desired. Sprinkle with the finely ground pecans.

CARROT CAKE FOR TWO

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan with parchment, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Toast the pecans on a small baking sheet until lightly browned and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Make a big well in the center so you can see the bottom of the bowl. Working within the well, add the sugar and egg and beat with a fork until well combined, then add the oil and vanilla and beat with the fork. Stir the dry and wet ingredients together with the fork until just combined. Fold in the carrots and pecans.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then turn it out of the pan, remove the parchment and let cool completely, right-side up, on the rack, about 1 hour.
• For the frosting: Process the cream cheese and butter in a food processor until completely combined and smooth, stopping once or twice to scrape the bottom and side of the bowl. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, and process until just combined. Transfer to a small bowl.
• To assemble: Cut the cake into 4 even wedges, as if you were cutting up a pie. Frost the top of each wedge with about 3 tablespoons of frosting (an offset spatula helps spread the frosting evenly). Stack the frosted wedges directly on top of each other on a serving plate, resulting in a 4-layer slice of cake with frosting between the layers and on top. Completely cover the curved back side of the cake with the remaining frosting, and leave the 2 remaining sides open. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Cut the wedge in half, and serve.

CARROT & PINEAPPLE BUNDT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• CAKE: Grease and lightly flour bundt pan.
• In a large bowl mix together flour, sugars, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Drain crushed pineapple reserve the drained juice.
• In medium sized bowl separate bowl mix the pineapple juice, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla and mix well.
• Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix for 3 minutes or until well incorporated.
• Stir in carrots, crushed pineapple and chopped pecans.
• Pour into pan and Bake at 325°F for 1 1/4 hours (check after one hour with a toothpick and remove cake when the pick comes out dry).
• Let the cake cool for 20 mins in the pan and then turn out onto cooling rack. Do not frost till completely cool.
• ICING/FROSTING: Mix sugar, cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla. Fold in chopped pecans and spread onto cool cake.

CARROT CAKE (CAKE MIX)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a bundt pan.
• I use Bakers Joy spray.
• Beat cake mix, water (milk), oil, eggs and pineapple on low speed 3 minutes.
• Stir in nuts and raisins.
• Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool in pan 15 minutes.
• Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
• Cool at least 1 hour before frosting.

CARROT BUNDT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
• Add lemon zest, oil, extract and lemon juice
• Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to wet mixture
• Stir in carrots, raisins, and nuts
• Pour into a bundt pan that has been greased well
• Bake at 325 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean
• Cool for 10 minutes, carefully remove from pan and pour on glaze while cake is still warm
• For the glaze, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, cream of tar tar, powdered milk, water, and extract until smooth
• Mixture should be quite thick
• Pour over warm cake letting glaze drip down the sides
• Cool to room temperature before serving