The Ultimate Carrots Food

CARROT AND PINEAPPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter 2 (8-inch) round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.
• For the cake: Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow. Add the vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, the cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour. Fold in the carrots and pineapple. Add to the batter and mix well.
• Divide the batter equally between the 2 pans. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set over a wire rack.
• For the frosting: Mix the cream cheese, butter and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until just combined. Add the sugar and mix until smooth.
• Place 1 layer, flat-side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with diced pineapple.

THE ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger onto a sheet of waxed paper.
• Mix the sugars together in a large bowl.
• Stir in the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• Stir in the flour mixture, grated carrots, chopped pecans, coconut and raisins.
• Stir until well blended.
• Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• Line each prepared pan with wax or parchment paper that has also been greased and waxed.
• Pour equal amounts into each of the cake pans.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each comes out clean.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Turn out onto cooling racks, remove wax paper and allow to cool completely.
• In a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until light.
• Add the confectioners sugar, orange peel and vanilla mixing until smooth.
• Spread frosting between layers and stack evenly.
• Frost the top and sides of cake.
• Decorate with perfect pecan halves.

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.