Jerricas Chai Spiced Carrot Cake Food

CHAI SPICED CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm x 30cm traybake tin.
• Peel and grate the carrots into a large bowl, then grate in the lemon zest. Mix in the currants, then roughly chop and add the pecans.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, all the spices and ½ a teaspoon of sea salt. Dice and add the ginger, then split open the tea bag, pour in the leaves, and mix well.
• Whisk the eggs in a mixing jug, then mix in both sugars and the vegetable oil. Pour over the carrots, give it a good stir, then add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove from the tin and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, for the buttercream, place the butter in the bowl of a free-standing mixer and beat for about 5 minutes, or until creamy.
• Add the cream cheese and beat until just combined. Next, add the icing sugar and beat again until smooth - don't overmix it, or your icing will be runny! Chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, then spoon over the cake and spread out evenly.
• Toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for 3 minutes, or until lightly golden, tossing occasionally. Scatter over the iced cake, then slice up and enjoy!

MASALA-CHAI CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• To make the cake, add the tea bags to a mug of the boiling water and let them steep for 5 minutes before discarding the bags. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and cardamom. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, add the muscovado sugar, eggs and tea, mixing until combined before stirring in the oil. Tip in the carrots and fold them in so they're evenly distributed. Fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated, making sure there are no pockets of flour hiding near the bottom.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cakes are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, then turn them out onto a rack.
• To make the frosting, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until pale and smooth. Beat in the cream cheese until combined.
• To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake stand. Spoon one-third of the frosting on top and push right to the edges. Place the second cake topside down in order to give you a flat top. Add the rest of the frosting, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula. Scatter the walnuts on top of the cake.

JERRICA'S CHAI-SPICED CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• PREHEAT oven to 325*. Grease and line with parchment paper three 9" cake rounds. Line one cookie sheet with aluminum foil. CHAI-SPICED PECANS: In heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter. Add spices and cook until fragrant (1-2 min). Add sugar and heat until dissolved. Add pecans; mix until coated. Pour mixture onto tray lined with foil. Bake at 325* for about 7 minutes. Allow to cool while making cake. CAKE: Beat first three ingredients thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each; add extracts and continue to beat for an additional 2 minutes. Combine next eight ingredients (flour, baking powder/soda, salt and spices) and sift into wet ingredients. Combine. Stir in remaining ingredients. BAKE until tester comes out clean- about 45 minutes. While cakes are baking, make glaze and frosting. MAKE GLAZE: Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Allow to boil, while stirring, until slightly darkened in color; about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in vanilla extract. MAKE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: Beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add in sugar and pinch of salt and beat for 5 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon and beat an additional 5 minutes. POUR glaze atop cakes while still hot and in tins. Allow to cool completely in racks. TO ASSEMBLE CAKE, spread thin layer of cream cheese frosting on first layer. Place second layer and add a thin layer of frosting. Place third layer and frost entire cake. Finish with 5 oz raw, chopped pecans to cover sides.

SPICED CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Zest the orange, cover and set aside for the frosting.
• Juice the orange, add the chopped apricots and mix with the orange juice, leave to soak for at least 3 hours.
• When ready to make the cake, preheat the oven to 300F and line the base of a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper.
• Sift the flour together with the cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and the baking soda into a mixing bowl.
• Add the brown sugar, chopped pecans, carrots and the apricots with the juice, (reserve 2 tablespoons of the orange juice), mix well.
• Beat together the eggs with the oil, add to the mix and mix again.
• Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes.
• Test with a wooden skewer whether the cake is done, (it should come out clean and dry), otherwise cook a bit longer.
• Turn the cake out of the tin and let it cool until slightly warm.
• Mix the two tablespoons of Grand Marnier and the two tablespoons of the reserved orange juice, return the cake to the tin, poke holes in the top and drizzle the liquid over to soak up the juices.
• Beat together the cream cheese, confectioners sugar and the orange zest, taste if you find it sweet enough, if not, add more sugar.
• Take the cake out of the tin, remove parchment paper and spread the frosting on the top.
• Decorate with the halved pecans.

CARROT SPICE CAKE

Steps:

• A well greased and floured bunt pan ready for cake batter.
• First 8 ingredients into a pot bring to boil then simmer for 5 minutes.
• Cool mixture and set aside.
• Next 5 ingredients sift and dump into the cooled mixture blend together.
• Pour ingredients into bunt pan.
• Into the oven @ 375 degree's for 50 minutes.
• Make an icing of icing sugar and fresh lemon to taste and drizzle over cake while warm.