Mawmaw Goodmans 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.

MAWMAW GOODMAN'S CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• 1. CAKE RECIPE:
• 2. Prepare a bundt pan or 2 round cake pans. To prepare pans butter or grease pan well and dust with flour. I have found over the years that the easiest way to flour a pan is to use a mini-strainer it does a wonderful job and it sifts the flour so there is no clumps of flour! If you use bakers joy or a baking spray still dust with flour. If you like a rich dark brown crust on your cake dust with coco powder and no flour.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350 degree
• 4. Grate 4 cups of carrots. Pack carrots tightly into measuring cup and set aside. I have found over years of baking this cake that 4 cups is roughly 8-9 large carrots
• 5. In a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) combine flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg. Whisk together well.
• 6. Slightly beat 4 eggs (ok the recipe tells you to remove the roosters. The white squiggly in the white of the egg. This is something we do here in the Appalachian Mountains because we raise chickens here and we use fresh right out of the coop eggs. The reason for this is because the roosters will cause shiny spots in your cakes and pies :)
• 7. Here is a picture of 2 eggs I got off the coop yesterday (I had more but gave my mom 5 dozen to take to her friends at church this morning) The other 2 eggs are store bought (my daughter will not eat fresh eggs) look at how rich and large fresh eggs are compared to store bought. Just amazes me that I get them wonderful eggs free just for loving my flock of chickens :)
• 8. Ok back to the recipe........ Slightly mix 1 1/2 cups oil into the eggs and pour into the dry ingredients.
• 9. Mix on low to med speed until batter is shiny. You can tell when this happens it all pulls together and the batter is smooth and wet looking.
• 10. Add 1 cup walnuts and give a quick mix
• 11. Add 1/2 cup raisins and give a quick mix
• 12. Add 2 cups carrots and again give a quick mix
• 13. Add remaining carrots and mix until all is nicely combined
• 14. Slowly pour batter into pan or pans smoothing tops when finished. Shake and shimmy pan to settle batter.
• 15. Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.
• 16. When done remove to cooking rack for 30 minutes.
• 17. When cooled turn out cake to a cake plate and let cool until completely cooled. My husband gets a piece as soon as I turn it out HE CAN'T WAIT LOL and he slops a big glob of frosting on it while it is still warm. (I will never confess this to him but it is really super good with that frosting melting down in them cracks)
• 18. When completely cooled frost with Buttered Walnut Cream Cheese Frosting or Frosting of your choice and serve
• 19. FROSTING RECIPE: BUTTERED WALNUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING To Make Buttered Cream Cheese Frosting just leave out the Walnuts
• 20. Cream 8 oz cream cheese and 1 stick salted butter together well.
• 21. Beat in vanilla extract
• 22. Add 2 cups confectioners sugar and mix well.
• 23. Keep adding confectioners sugar 2 cups at time beating each time you add 2 cups. When you use up to 8 cups check the thickness of it and if it is good stop adding sugar if thin add more confections sugar again 2 cups at a time. I have used up to 14 cups to get it thick enough.
• 24. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts (you can leave out walnuts if you prefer Butter Cream Cheese Frosting)
• 25. Let set at room temperature until cake is ready to frost.
• 26. I really hope you enjoy this as much as my family has over the many years it has been made.

CARROT LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• If you have time to do it the night before, put the orange zest and juice in a bowl with the sultanas. If you don't have time simply stir the zest, juice and sultanas together and microwave on Medium for 1-2 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease and line the base and sides of a 2lb loaf tin. Whisk together the oil and eggs. Mix together the sugar, flours, mixed spice, cinnamon and bicarb in your largest mixing bowl. Add the sultanas with any juice and zest left in the bowl, grated carrot, walnuts and whisked egg mixture into the dry ingredients, then thoroughly mix with a wooden spoon. Tip into the loaf tin and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tin.
• Once cool, remove from the tin and make the icing. With an electric whisk beat together butter, cinnamon and icing sugar until it comes together and is smooth. It takes a little while to come together (will look like breadcrumbs for a bit). Add the cream cheese and beat briefly until soft and smooth. Be careful not to overbeat or the cream cheese may split and become runny. Spread over the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves.
• If you have time to do it the night before, put the orange zest and juice in a bowl with the sultanas. If you don't have time simply stir the zest, juice and sultanas together and microwave on Medium for 1-2 mins.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease and line the base and sides of a 2lb loaf tin. Whisk together the oil and eggs. Mix together the sugar, flours, mixed spice, cinnamon and bicarb in your largest mixing bowl. Add the sultanas with any juice and zest left in the bowl, grated carrot, walnuts and whisked egg mixture into the dry ingredients, then thoroughly mix with a wooden spoon. Tip into the loaf tin and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr, or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool the cake in the tin.
• Once cool, remove from the tin and make the icing. With an electric whisk beat together butter, cinnamon and icing sugar until it comes together and is smooth. It takes a little while to come together (will look like breadcrumbs for a bit). Add the cream cheese and beat briefly until soft and smooth. Be careful not to overbeat or the cream cheese may split and become runny. Spread over the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves.

FABULOUS CARROT CAKE!

Steps:

• Mix dry cake ingredients.
• Add carrots, oil and eggs.
• Stir till all is wet.
• Add nuts, (optional) Put in greased and floured 9 x 13 inch pan.
• Bake at 325* for 50-55 minutes .
• Cool.
• Cream together cream cheese, margarine, vanilla Add powdered sugar.
• Spread over cooled cake.

EASY CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil and line the base and sides of two 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the oil, yogurt, eggs, vanilla and zest in a jug. Mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg with a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Squeeze any lumps of sugar through your fingers, shaking the bowl a few times to bring the lumps to the surface.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry, along with the carrots, raisins and half the nuts, if using. Mix well to combine, then divide between the tins.
• Bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If any wet mixture clings to the skewer, return to the oven for 5 mins, then check again. Leave to cool in the tins.
• To make the icing, beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add half the soft cheese and beat again, then add the rest (adding it bit by bit prevents the icing from splitting). Remove the cakes from the tins and sandwich together with half the icing. Top with the remaining icing and scatter with the remaining walnuts. Will keep in the fridge for up to five days. Best eaten at room temperature.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. For the cake, finely grate the zest from the orange and squeeze 3 tbsp of juice. Pour the juice over the raisins in a bowl, stir in zest, then leave to soak while you make the cake. Lightly oil and line the base of a deep 20cm square cake tin. Mix the flours with 1 tsp baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon.
• Separate one of the eggs. Put the white in a small bowl and the yolk in a large one. Break the remaining whole egg in with the yolk, then tip in the sugar. Whisk together for 1-2 mins until thick and foamy. Slowly pour in the oil and continue to whisk on a low speed until well mixed. Tip in the flour mix, half at a time, and gently stir it into the egg mixture with a rubber spatula or big spoon. The mix will be quite stiff. Put the extra pinch of baking powder in with the egg white and whisk to soft peaks.
• Fold the carrot, raisins (and any liquid) into the flour mixture. Gently fold in the whisked egg white, then pour into the tin. Jiggle the tin to level the mixture. Bake for 1 hr until risen and firm or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin 5 mins, turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper, then leave until cold.
• To make the frosting, stir the soft cheese, Quark, icing sugar and orange zest together - don't overbeat. Stir in the lemon juice. Swirl the frosting over the cake and cut into 16 square. This cake is even better if left well wrapped for a day or two before icing and eating. Will keep up to 5 days uniced in an airtight tin, or in the fridge if iced.