Family Heirloom Carrot Cake Food

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!

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of three 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, line with rounds of parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray.
• Make the cake: With an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture. Add the walnuts, coconut, carrot puree and pineapple and beat until smooth. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.
• Bake the layers until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let the layers cool in the pans for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each pan and turn the layers out onto wire racks that have been coated with cooking spray. Let the layers cool completely before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Combine the cream cheese and butter in an electric mixer and beat until smooth. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar and continue beating until fully combined. Add the vanilla.
• Slice each cake layer horizontally in half using a serrated knife. Place 1 layer on a cake plate and frost with 1/2 cup frosting. Continue stacking the remaining layers, using about 1/2 cup frosting between each layer. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Press the chopped walnuts into the sides of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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.

HEIRLOOM CARROT SPOON CAKE

Steps:

• Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter flavored cooking spray.
• Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 6 hours.
• Serve warm.

FAMILY HEIRLOOM CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat oil, flour, sugars, eggs and vanilla.
• Add and mix in cinnamon, nutmeg, soda and salt.
• Mix in carrots.
• Fold/mix in pecans and raisins.
• Pour batter evenly into greased and floured 9" cake pans.
• Bake in 350° oven for 50-55 minutes til toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 5-10 minutes, turn out onto rack to cool completely.
• For frosting:.
• Beat ingredients til smooth.
• Place 1 cake onto plate, frost top. Place second cake on top, frost sides and top of cake.
• I store this in my airtight tupperware cake thingy in the refrigerator.
• Variation: Spread a layer of apricot preserves between cake layers instead of cream cheese frosting. Then assemble cake and frost sides and top as usual. This takes about a 1/4-1/3 cup apricot preserves.

FAMILY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Cake.
• Preheat oven to 350*. Grease and flour 9"x13" inch pan.
• In large bowl beat eggs, oil, granulated sugar and vanilla.
• In medium bowl, stir flour baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Incorporate dry ingredients to creamy mixture.
• Add carrots, mix and fold in pecans.
• Pour batter in prepared pan.
• Bake 45 minutes until tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean. Let cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.
• Frosting.
• In medium size bowl, mix butter and cream cheese till smooth.
• Add almond extract. Gradually add icing sugar and beat till mixture is homogeneous.
• Spread over cooled cake; decorate with pecan halves.
• Tip; Use your food processor to grate the carrots.

PAT'S AWARD WINNING CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the oil and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in chopped pecans, carrot baby food, grated carrots, and coconut. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, oil, carrots and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in pineapple, coconut and nuts. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack., For frosting, beat cream cheese and butter in a small bowl until fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost cake. Sprinkle with additional nuts. Store in the refrigerator.

HEIRLOOM CARROT SPOON CAKE (CROCK POT)

Steps:

• Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with butter flavored cooking spray. Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker. Place a paper towl over top of slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 1/2 to 6 hours.
• The paper towl absorbs the moisture and does not allow the water to drop onto the cake.