Easter Carrot Cake Food

CLASSIC CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with nonstick spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the oil and sugars. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes.
• Add the applesauce and vanilla and then stir to combine.
• With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the eggs, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Once all of the eggs are combined, beat the mixture for about a minute on medium speed.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture.
• Fold in the carrots.
• Evenly divide the cake batter between the three prepared pans (about 20 ounces of batter in each). Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
• Let the cake layers cool in the pans on cooling racks for about 10 to 15 minutes. Invert the cake layers onto the cooling racks to cool completely.
• Level cake layers, if needed.
• Cake layers can be made ahead of time. To store: let cake layers cool to room temperature and then wrap well with plastic wrap and freeze. Before you decorate your frozen cake layers, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 to 60 minutes prior to decorating.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, vanilla and pinch of salt.
• Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate or cake board.
• Evenly spread about 1 cup of buttercream on the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the buttercream and spread another 1 cup of buttercream over the second layer.
• Place the third cake layer top side down.
• Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake. This is the crumb coat. Freeze the crumb coated cake for about 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
• Once the crumb coat is set, continue decorating the cake with the remaining buttercream.

SPRING CELEBRATION CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 2 (8-inch) square cake pans, line them with buttered parchment paper, and dust with flour.
• Toss the carrots, walnuts and 1/2 cup pineapple with 3/4 cup of the flour in a small bowl and set aside.
• Whisk the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
• In another large bowl beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer until thick and light, about 5 minutes. While continuing to beat the eggs slowly, gradually add the oil, and then the pureed carrot.
• Scatter the dry ingredients over the wet and then gently fold them together to make a loose batter. Gently fold the nuts, carrots, and pineapple into the batter. Pour into the prepared pans. Bake the cakes until firm to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on a rack for 25 minutes. Turn cakes out of pans and cool completely on the rack.
• For the icing:
• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl, with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in the butter until smooth. Sift the sugar over the cream cheese, and beat until smooth. Add the lemon zest and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate to set slightly for about 20 minutes.
• To assemble the cake, place a cake layer on a cake stand, plate, or cake board. Spread about half of the icing over top, but leave the sides bare. Sprinkle icing with about half of the pineapple. Top with a second cake layer, and repeat with remaining icing and pineapple. Serve.

CARROT PATCH CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the pistachios. Mix well to combine, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 1 hr 10 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tin.
• To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the cream cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cake from the tin and spread the icing thickly on top. Scatter with some of the remaining pistachios. Dye the fondant or marzipan orange by kneading in a drop of food colouring. Roll into little carrot shapes, then use a skewer to make indentations and poke a few pistachios in to look like fronds. Top the cake with the carrots, then serve. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days (eat at room temperature).

NOT-JUST-FOR EASTER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 8" round layer cake pans, line with waxed paper, then grease and flour waxed paper.
• Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl, then set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine both sugars, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla until blended.
• Add flour mixture, then carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut, and raisins, stirring just until incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minute, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then loosen cake from edges of pan with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off waxed paper and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make Cream Cheese Frosting: combine butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Add sugar, orange rind, and vanilla, mixing well.
• When cakes are cool, spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with marzipan carrots, if desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.

WHY-I-JOINED-ZAAR CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix with wooden spoon until smooth.
• Stir in carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple. Pour into 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes. Don't panic, the centre will sink a little.
• Allow to cool; when cool, ice the cake. You can certainly use your favourite cream cheese frosting to ice this cake, but the one I've included is highly recommended (I usually leave the cake in the 13x9 pan and just ice the top).
• To make the frosting: Cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth; add the icing sugar and beat until creamy.

EASTER EGG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, honey, lemon zest and lemon juice in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 55 min. or until center of cheesecake is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely before removing rim.
• Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hrs.
• Beat whipping cream in medium bowl with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Add marshmallow creme; beat until stiff peaks form.
• Spoon marshmallow creme mixture over cheesecake to within 1/2 inch of edge, then use back of spoon to make 3-inch-diameter indentation in center to resemble a bird's nest.
• Sprinkle marshmallow creme mixture with coconut; fill center with chocolate eggs just before serving.