Dans Mile High Birthday Carrot Cake Food

DAN'S MILE HIGH BIRTHDAY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. GREASE AND FLOUR 4 (9 INCH) ROUND OR SQUARE CAKE PANS. I chose to use Bakers Joy cooking spray that has flour in the spray.
• 2. Using a medium size bowl, add a sifter or strainer over the bowl. Then add the flour, cinnamon nutmeg, baking soda, & baking powder . Sift and set aside till needed. Add kosher salt, mine did not go through strainer, stir in to blend with other ingredients. NOTE SIFTING MAKES THE CAKE LIGHTER. SET ASIDE TILL NEEDED.
• 3. Grate carrots then measure out 3 cups and set aside till needed.
• 4. Add the eggs to mixing bowl and beat till blended together.
• 5. Then add both sugars, and oil and beat till blended together.
• 6. Now add in the flour mixture in 3 intervals beating well after each addition. Then add in the vanilla Bean paste or extract, and beat till blended.
• 7. Add the grated carrots, undrained crushed pineapples, and nuts, and stir till blended.
• 8. Divide and pour batter evenly among the 4 cake pans. Bake in preheated 350 degree F. oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Or cake begins to pull away from sides of pan.
• 9. Cool in pan about 5 minutes or so, then invert cakes onto cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
• 10. While cakes are cooling prepare cake frosting by adding the softened butter and cream cheese to large bowl, then beat well till mixed together. Now add in the pudding mix and about half of the powdered sugar, and slowly begin to blend together, then gradually add in the remaining powdered sugar alternately with heavy whipping cream a little at a time, add in the vanilla bean paste, and nutmeg, and stir till completely blended and creamy, or desired spreading consistency is reached. Add more whipping cream if a creamier spreading consistency is needed.
• 11. Garnish if desired with your choice of garnish, I used candy corns and chopped nuts.
• 12. Slice and enjoy. This slice was so big that my husband and I shared it together.

HIGH-ALTITUDE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and generously grease two 8-inch round cake pans. Optionally, line the cake pans with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until combined, and set aside. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the oil, sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and shredded carrot, and stir until just combined.
• Add in the dry ingredients and the buttermilk in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture, and mixing well between each addition until all the ingredients are added. Pour the batter evenly between your two prepared cake pans, and bake for 35-38 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
• In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and softened butter. Slowly add in the powdered sugar, mixing well to incorporate it completely. Stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream, and beat the mixture for several minutes, or until thick and spreadable. Frost your cake as desired and enjoy!

"BIRTHDAY" CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING AND COINTREAU CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a jelly roll pan and line with parchment. Set aside.
• Take the carrots and chop into large pieces, then mince in a food processor until you have a fine texture. Drain pineapple and finely chop walnuts. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices together. In a separate bowl mix buttermilk, molasses, eggs, vegetable oil and dark brown sugar together.
• Now combine wet and dry ingredients together to make a batter then fold in the carrots, pineapple and walnuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until cake is set and springs back when gently pressed in the middle. Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool on a rack while you prepare the frosting and cointreau carrots (recipes below). Once the cake has cooled, cut into three rectangles by cutting the cake lengthwise twice. Stack the cake up into three tiers with cream cheese frosting in between each layer. Frost the outside of the entire finished cake - smoothing off the edges and corners (an offset spatula works well). Top with Cointreau carrot rounds and drizzle a little of the syrup on top as well.
• Using a kitchen mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until blended and you have a smooth, light texture. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and powdered sugar and beat until combined. Continue to beat until smooth and glossy - about 7 minutes.
• Slice carrot up into rounds. Add carrot, butter, sugar, cointreau and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce until syrupy - about 5 minutes.