Killer Carrot Cake Food

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.

KILLER CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch glass or metal cake pan with the 1 tablespoon of room temperature butter.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in a medium bowl or a 2-cup liquid measuring cup.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, if using a handheld mixer), cream the 1 cup of butter and the brown sugar on low speed until creamy and well combined. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and airy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition and scraping down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed. Once all 3 eggs are added, beat for 1 minute on medium speed to get the mixture nice and fluffy.
• Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk mixture in three batches, starting with the flour. Add the melted chocolate and mix on medium speed until well incorporated, stopping the mixer to scrape down the side and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Use a rubber or offset spatula to scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even it out as much as possible. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the center of the cake resists light pressure, about 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely, at least 2 hours, before frosting.
• Make the frosting: Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or in a medium bowl, if using a handheld mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until smooth. Turn off the mixer and sift the confectioners' sugar into the bowl and combine on low speed. Add the melted chocolate, soy sauce, and vanilla and beat on low speed until combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-low and whip until glossy, 15 to 30 seconds.
• Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Cut into squares and serve.
• DO AHEAD: The cake will keep, loosely covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Let it sit out at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

KILLER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
• grease lamington size cake tin (13 x 9 inch rectangular pan).
• Mix carrots, brown sugar, spices, oil, salt, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl.
• Stir in flour.
• Add nuts.
• Cook for 35-45 minutes, remove when knife comes out clean. Wrap with foil an place in freezer to cool (keeps it moist).
• Ice with cream cheese frosting.

KILLER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
• Grease and flour 10" baking pan.
• Pour oil and carrots into a mixing bowl and mix till combined.
• Add in eggs one by one whilst beating on medium speed.
• Add in sugar and beat until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is frothy and light in color.
• Make sure to beat until sugar is dissolved! if not the sugar will form a crust on top of the cake whilst baking.
• Add in the spices and vanilla / almond essence.
• Lastly add in the flour which has been sifted along with the baking powder and soda.
• When adding in the flour just mix it in with a wooden spoon and swirl in a figure eight until flour is just combined. This is to make sure you dont let out excess air.
• Add in nuts.
• Pour batter into pan and bake until cake begins to shrink off sides and toothpick inserted comes out clean, approximately 45 minutes.
• When cake is cool put on icing.
• For Icing beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
• Add in icing sugar and vanilla and beat till smooth.

DAVID'S FAVORITE CARROT CAKE WITH PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with the butter.
• In a large bowl, add the granulated sugar, oil, brown sugar and eggs and mix together. Add the flour, carrots, coconut, walnuts, cinnamon, almond extract, baking powder, salt and pineapple and fold the ingredients together.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pans and place the pans on a baking sheet. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Place the cakes on a cooling rack until completely cooled, about an hour.
• For the frosting: Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter and pineapple juice. Mix until smooth and incorporated.
• To frost the cake: Carefully remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Using an offset spatula, place a dollop of the frosting on the cake stand and spread to create a sticky base. Place one layer on the frosting on the cake stand. Thickly frost the entire top of the cake and place the other layer atop the now frosted one. Beginning with the top of the new layer, frost generously. Place a large dollop of frosting on the side of the cake and spin the cake to evenly frost the sides. Garnish with the remaining walnuts.

CARROT CAKE FROM CROCODILE CAFE

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Beat eggs, and then add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
• Stir in four mixture, carrots, pineapple, and nuts.
• Bake in three 9-inch prepared cake pans for 45 minutes at 325 degrees. Cool on wire racks. Frost when cold.
• Frosting.
• Cream butter and cream cheese -- Add sugar and vanilla beating until smooth.

KILLER CARROT CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, egg sub, canola oil, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, 2 tsp vanilla, unbleached flour, carrots and walnuts and raisins (if using). Mix well.
• Pour into a 13x9x3 baking dish and bake 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Side note: I have not tried this as a layer cake so the cooking times in the round pans may vary!
• While the cake is baking, make the icing.
• Start by combining the softened cream cheese and margarine. Mix until well blended.
• Add the powdered sugar and 2 tsp vanilla and mix until combined.
• Allow the cake to cool thoroughly before icing.