Chunky Carrot Cake Food

MARSHA'S OUTRAGEOUS CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• MAKE THE CAKE:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottoms of 2 9" cake pans with parchment paper and spray sides lightly with baking spray. Set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, add the flour and baking soda and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• To the bowl of a stand mixer, add oil, sugar, salt, eggs, and spices and beat well.
• Add in flour mixture and beat to combine.
• Stir in the carrots and nuts.
• Pour into prepared baking pans and bake for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• MAKE THE FROSTING:
• Add butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until creamy.
• Add vanilla and salt, beat to combine.
• Slowly add in powdered sugar, beating well.
• ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
• Spread out coconut in an even layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for several minutes, until very lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool.
• Spread frosting over the top of one layer of the cake, then top it with the second layer of cake. Spread frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Sprinkle toasted coconut around the rim of the top and around the sides of the cake.
• Keep refrigerated until about 30 minutes before serving.

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.

MOLLY'S CARROT CAKE WITH SPICED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment. Set aside.
• Combine the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda and hawaij in a large bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Whisk in the vanilla.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula and mix until about 90% incorporated. Add the carrots and sesame seeds and mix to incorporate (and by this time, all of the flour mixture should be incorporated as well).
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans and then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For the spiced frosting: Add the butter and cream cheese to a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Then add the heavy cream, vanilla, hawaij and salt. Mix until combined and smooth.
• Cover the cakes with frosting and stack. Use the carrot ribbons to roll into rose shapes and place on top of the cake. Decorate with the rosemary and serve!

SLIMMED DOWN CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper and grease the paper with cooking spray.
• With an electric mixer, cream the granulated sugar, oil, vanilla and eggs together in a large bowl. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and mix well. Add the carrot puree, coconut, walnuts and pineapple and beat until smooth.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool the cake for about 5 minutes. Spray a wire rack with cooking spray. Run a knife around the edges of the pan and turn the cake out onto the wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
• For the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the Neufchatel in a medium bowl until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until fully combined. Mix in the vanilla.
• Frost the cake and garnish with the chopped walnuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour three 9-inch round, 2-inch deep cake pans, flour the insides and tap out the excess.
• Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut and raisins.
• Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the sugar and oil together until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. If you are working in a mixer, reduce the speed to low, if you're working by hand switch to a large rubber spatula, and gently stir in the flour mixture - mix only until the dry ingredients disappear. Just as gently, stir in the chunky ingredients.
• Divide the batter among the baking pans and slide the pans into the oven. Bake the cakes for 40 to 50 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cakes are properly baked when a knife inserted into the centers of the cakes comes out clean; the cakes will just start to come away from the edges. Transfer the pans to cooling racks, cool for 5 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool to room temperature. (At this point, the cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months; thaw before frosting.)
• For the frosting: Working in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.
• If you'd like to have coconut in the filling, scoop out about 1/2 of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.
• To frost the cake, place one layer of the cake, right-side up, on a cardboard round or a cake plate. If you've added coconut to the frosting, use half of coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer. Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top-side down. Frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting. Top with the last layer, right-side up and use the plain frosting to cover the top - and the sides, if you want - of the cake. Finish the top layer with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle on these ingredients now, while the frosting is soft. Slide the cake into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, just to set the frosting.
• Serving: The cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper, overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and, while it's good plain, it's better with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or even some lemon curd with a little whipped cream folded in.
• Storing: Covered the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen, uncovered, and then, when it is firmed, wrapped airtight and kept in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost, still wrapped, in the refrigerator overnight.

THE ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger onto a sheet of waxed paper.
• Mix the sugars together in a large bowl.
• Stir in the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• Stir in the flour mixture, grated carrots, chopped pecans, coconut and raisins.
• Stir until well blended.
• Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• Line each prepared pan with wax or parchment paper that has also been greased and waxed.
• Pour equal amounts into each of the cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Turn out onto cooling racks, remove wax paper and allow to cool completely.
• In a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until light.
• Add the confectioners sugar, orange peel and vanilla mixing until smooth.
• Spread frosting between layers and stack evenly.
• Frost the top and sides of cake.
• Decorate with perfect pecan halves.

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment.
• Tip the sugar, sunflower oil and eggs into a big mixing bowl. Lightly mix with a wooden spoon. Stir in the carrots, raisins and orange zest.
• Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and nutmeg into the bowl. Mix everything together, the mixture will be soft and almost runny.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 mins or until it feels firm and springy when you press it in the centre.
• Cool in the tin for 5 mins, then turn it out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. (You can freeze the cake at this point if you want to serve it at a later date.)
• Beat the icing sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until smooth - you want the icing about as runny as single cream. Put the cake on a serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth in diagonal lines over the top, letting it drip down the sides.

EXCELLENT CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients; beat well.
• Mix flour, soda, salt and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture; stir well.
• Add carrots, walnuts, pineapple and coconut; stir well.
• Pour batter into greased and floured 13x9 baking pan.
• Bake at 350° for 55 minutes, or until pick comes out clean.
• Buttermilk Glaze: Combine first 5 ingredients in large saucepan.
• Bring to a boil; cook 4 minutes on medium heat.
• Remove from heat; add vanilla.
• Pour buttermilk glaze over warm cake; let cake cool.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix cream cheese and butter; beat until smooth.
• Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Spread cream cheese frosting on top of cooled cake.

CHUNKY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Position rack in the center of to oven and preheat the oven to 350°F Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch tube pan, tapping out the excess flour. Line the bottom of the pan with a ring of wax paper.
• Sift together the whole wheat pastry flour, unbleached flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt into a large blow and make a well in the center.
• In another bowl, whisk the fruit juice concentrate, oil, and lemon juice. Pour the liquids into the well and stir until smooth. Stir in the carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Pour into the pan and smooth the top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the sides begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire cake rack for 5 minutes. Invert and unmold the cake onto the rack, carefully remove the wax paper, and cool completely.