Grand Marnier Carrot Cake Food

GRAND MARNIER GLAZED CARROTS

Steps:

• Place baby carrots in a steam basket and cook on high heat until tender, about 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, add butter. When it starts foaming, add steamed carrots, brown sugar and Grand Marnier. Cook carrot mixture for 3 minutes. Season carrot mixture with rosemary, cayenne pepper and sea salt; stir and cook for 7 minutes or until glaze thickens.
• Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

GOLDEN GRAND MARNIER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips and a few spoons of Grand Marnier until chips are moistened and shiny. Add the 1 ½ teaspoon flour and toss until evenly coated.
• In a medium bowl, lightly combine the eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, and vanilla.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the dry ingredients and orange zest and mix on low speed a moment to blend. Add the butter and remaining ¾ cup sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium high speed for 1 ½ minutes to aerate and develop structure. Scrape down sides. Gradually add egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition to incorporate the ingredients. Scrape down the sides, and fold in the chocolate chips.
• Scrape the batter into a well buttered bundt pan. Bake 55 to 65 minutes or until the cake tests done with a toothpick.
• Shortly before the cake is done, prepare the syrup: Heat the sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier until the sugar is dissolved. DO NOT BOIL. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan on a rack, poke the top all over with a wire tester, and brush on ½ the syrup. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Brush with the remaining syrup and cool completely before wrapping airtight.
• This cake can be made several days ahead and refrigerated, wrapped well. I like to glaze it with a Chocolate Cream Ganache before serving.

A 14-CARAT CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon.
• In mixing bowl, beat eggs and add sugar.
• Let stand until sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in oil, carrots, drained pineapple and nuts.
• Stir in dry ingredients and beat until well blended--3 minutes or so with blender.
• Turn into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans or one 13-x9-inch pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Cool in pans about 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
• Frosting: Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla in large bowl and beat until well blended.
• Add powdered sugar gradually, beating vigorously.
• If frosting is too thick, thin with a few drops of milk to spreading consistency.

GRAND MARNIER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt; set aside.
• Pour mandarin oranges with juice into blender or food processor and pulse a couple times just until oranges are roughly chopped; add enough freshly-squeezed orange juice to make 1 1/4 cups chopped mandarin orange-juice blend; set aside.
• In mixing bowl, beat eggs and add sugars; stir in oil, the mandarin orange-juice blend, liqueur, and orange zest; then stir in carrots, coconut, and optional nuts; add dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
• Pour batter into a 9x13" baking pan that has been greased and floured or just coated with no-stick cooking spray; a half-batch may be baked in either an 8x8" or 9x9" baking pan.
• Bake at 350°F for about 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean; a 9x9" cake will be done in 35 to 40 minutes; cool cake completely before frosting.
• For frosting: Beat together butter and cream cheese; stir in liqueur; gradually add powdered sugar, stirring well after each addition and gradually adding the freshly-squeezed orange juice; adjust powdered sugar and orange juice amounts as needed for proper spreading consistency.
• Because of the cream cheese it's best to keep this cake refrigerated after frosting, but for maximum flavor you may want to bring the cake back to room temperature after refrigeration. The frosted cake freezes well.
• *Note: The simple to make recipe halves very easily. Applesauce may be substituted for half of the canola oil and reduced-fat cream cheese may be used.
• **Note: The Recipezaar Kitchen Dictionary provides the following substitution: 2 tbsp unsweetened orange juice concentrate or orange juice + 1/2 tsp orange extract = 2 tbsp Grand Marnier.