Harvest Carrot Cake With Skillet Fruit Food

HARVEST CARROT CAKE WITH SKILLET FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8x8x2-inch square or 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pan; line the bottom of pan with waxed paper. Grease paper. Lightly coat pan with flour; set aside. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
• In large mixing bowl combine sugars, pumpkin, eggs and oil. Stir in carrot and buttermilk. Gradually beat in flour mixture; stir in walnuts. Transfer to pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely.
• Place cake on serving platter and top with Buttercream Frosting. Just before serving spoon on warm Skillet Fruit. Makes 8 servings. Buttercream Frosting
• In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat in milk and vanilla. Gradually beat in 1/4 to 1/2 cup additional powdered sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Skillet Fruit
• In large skillet melt butter; stir in granulated sugar. Add red-skin pears, kumquats, and fresh cranberries. Cook, gently stirring occasionally, until pears are just tender (2 to 4 minutes). Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.

FRUIT AND CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a 10-inch bundt pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with flour; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat together the first 6 ingredients, until thoroughly blended.
• In a medium bowl, blend together the flour through salt; gradually add to sugar mixture until blended. The batter will be very thick; stir in the carrots, apple, apricots, raisins and ginger.
• Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted off center comes out clean; allow the cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes prior to removing from pan. Turn out on plate, place on wire rack and allow to cool while preparing the glaze.
• While the cake is baking, combine the juices and honey; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes or until mixture is reduced to 1/3 cup.
• Allow mixture to cool for 15 minutes, stir in the diced apricots and raisins, spoon mixture over cake then sprinkle with pecans.

CARROT FRUIT CAKE

Steps:

• Combine nuts, fruit, dates and raisins with 1/2 cup flour; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil; mix well add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Combine the baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and remaining flour, gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until smooth batter will be stiff.
• Fold in carrots and fruit mixture and spoon into a greased and floured 10' tube pan.
• Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Note: if you want to ice this cake there are many great icings or just drizzle recipes on this web site.

HARVEST CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
• Lightly butter 3 (9-inch/23-cm) round cake pans.
• If you don't have 3 pans, use disposable 8-1/2-inch (21.6-cm) round foil pans instead.
• Line bottom of pans with a circle of lightly buttered waxed paper.
• To plump raisins, place in a small microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with liqueur. Cover with plastic. Microwave on medium until warm, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Peel carrots; grate using large grating disc of a food processor or a box grater. Grated carrots should measure no more than 3-1/2 cups (875 mL). It's important not to use any more or cake will be soggy.
• In a medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs with orange peel, brown sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla until smooth.
• In a large bowl, using a fork, stir flour with baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and allspice.
• Make a well in centre.
• Pour in egg mixture. Stir just until moist.
• Gently stir in carrots, raisins with any remaining liqueur and pine nuts until evenly distributed.
• Scrape into prepared pans and smooth tops.
• Bake in centre of 350 degree Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) oven until a cake tester inserted in centre of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes; turn out onto a cooling rack; cool completely.
• If making ahead, wrap individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 3 days.
• For icing, place cream cheese in a large bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, beat until creamy.
• Beat in icing sugar; add vanilla and orange-flavored liqueur, scraping down sides as needed.
• Stir in 1/3 cup (75 mL) coconut.
• Place 1 cake on a large plate.
• Spread one-third of frosting overtop, just to edges.
• Repeat layering with cakes and frosting to form a triple-decker cake.
• Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup coconut.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight, before serving.
• Slice into wedges and serve.
• Any leftovers will keep well, covered and refrigerated, up to 5 days.