Moist Carrot Cake

Ok, I know what you are thinking. "Why carrot cake out of all the things you could have made and posted about, whyy whyyyyy?" Sri lankans have this mutual hate or detest for putting vegetables in their desserts. I get it, I really do. The first time I heard about carrot cake when I was a itsy bitsy little kid I was as repulsed as you are right now about the thought of it. "Ewww carrots?, why carrots?, and why in a cake?, that must be fowl". But seriously once you get out of your little Lankan comfort zone and try things that are 'weird' it really does open your eyes to endless food possibilities. That's exactly what happened to me. My cousin made some carrot cake when I was about 12 years old, although I was sceptical to try it, I did anyway and my mind = BLOWN. It really is an amazing concoction. You have to try to it believe it. And for all those who already thought putting carrot in a cake was a brilliant idea - you are special.

So, finally about a decade later I found this super awesome carrot cake recipe and wanted to give it a go, but realised I didn't have any carrots at home. So I kept putting it off until now. One of the subjects that I'm doing for my HR course requires me to do a 30min theory presentation/training session for my class and the following session is going to be the practical training session where I teach the class a skill in 30 minutes. I decided to do cake decorating as my skill. Although I'm pretty crap at it, I thought I could get my sister to teach me a few things about fondant modelling. For the theory session I did a presentation on cakes. History, types, flavours, cake decorating tools, ingredients etc. I decided to make a carrot cake for the class to enjoy after my training session and also to bribe the bitch! The bitch is my teacher. I do not like her at all. If the name-calling did not suggest that, I'm telling you that she's an absolute meanie. She's the biggest bully ever. She picks someone she doesn't like and just keeps going at them. And as per usual, I was picked. I thought I left all that nonsense behind in school. But I thought wrong. In school teachers either loved me or absolutely HATED me, there was never any middle ground. Some liked the tomboyishness and others just thought I was trouble just by looking at me. I thought once you grow up and move on to tertiary education that shit would stop. But I guess this woman clearly doesn't agree. Anyway, whatever! I passed the theory session. So all's well in the world, until next week when I have to train the class on fondant decorating. Help!

Anyway, back to the carrot cake. Got side tracked as usual. I have to say that this is the most amazing cake I have ever made. It is so amazingly yummily superbly moist. I cannot believe how good it is myself. You must try it. My housemate Loopi doesn't even like carrot cake or nuts for that matter, but she was orgasming after she ate it. Although the process seems really long, it's quite simple. So give it a go and let me know!

Your Challenge: Moist carrot, what a challenge!

 

 

 

 Ready --- Steady --- Bake!

Moist Carrot Cake
(serves 10 or more) 

INGREDIENTS:

240g  All Purpose Flour or Self Raising Flour

300g  Sugar

50g  Brown Sugar, packed (dark or light)

1 1/2 teaspoon  Baking Soda (if using all purpose flour)

1 teaspoon  Baking Powder (if using all purpose flour)

1 teaspoon  Salt

4 teaspoon  Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon  Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon  Ground Cloves 

1/4 teaspoon  Ground Ginger

200g Finely Grated Peeled Carrot

85g  Coconut Flakes, sweetened

225g  Crushed Pineapple or Peaches, drained

       (reserve 2 Tablespoon of drained Pineapple/Peach juice)

110g  Nuts (Cashews, Walnuts or Pecans) Chopped into small pieces

200g/250ml  Vegetable Oil

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon  Orange Zest, Fresh and Finely Grated 

3  Eggs, extra large

165g  Raisins (Optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting:

70g butter

170g icing sugar

125g cream cheese

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

 

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 

2.  Prepare two 9 inch cake pans by spraying with Vegetable non-stick spray (like Pam Spray) and line with a parchment paper round on the bottom then spray the top of the parchment.  Or spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with Vegetable non stick spray (like Pam Spray) or use 20 jumbo Cupcake liners in a Muffin tin without using Pam spray. 

3. In a large bowl whisk well:  Flour, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, all Spices. 

4. Peel then Grate approx 5-6 medium Carrots to yield 2 cups packed.  Grate Carrots finely to no more than 1/4 inch pieces.  Or process in a food processor until finely grated but not mush.  It is important that you peel the Carrots before grating.  You do not want the tough skins in your cake. 

5. In a medium bowl or KitchenAid bowl add Carrots, Grated Fresh Orange Peel, Drained Pineapple, Raisins (optional), Coconut Flakes, Walnuts or Pecans and mix well with a big spoon.   

6. To this mixture add the Vegetable Oil, Vanilla Extract and Eggs one at a time mixing in well then add the reserved Pineapple/peach juice and maple syrup and mix well.  Scrape down bowl often.   

7. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a hand mixer or Kitchen Aid for  about 1 minute until well mixed.  Do not over mix. 

8. Pour divided into prepared (as above) 9 inch cake pans, or 9 X 13 pan, or approximately 20 Cupcake liners filled 3/4 full or a 9 X 13 baking sheet sprayed with Pam but no parchment paper needed.   

9. Bake at 180°C for 25-30 mins for Cupcakes,  

35-40 minutes for 9 inch layer cakes and 

45-50 mins for 9 X 13 in the center of the oven.  

Half way through cooking rotate the pans for even cooking.  A toothpick will come out clean when done.  All ovens vary in timing so check at lowest time first and if not done put back in oven and recheck in 2- 3 minutes. My oven took about 30mins to bake.

10. For the icing: whip butter and icing sugar together till smooth. Then add the cream cheese and mix well. Add vanilla in last to get a smooth texture. You may add a pinch of salt if it is too sweet.

11. Allow the cake to cool completely in pan for 1-2 hrs. before removing to ice with Cream Cheese Icing.   Place 1/4 of icing between the two layers and when placing the top cake layer on, put the flat side of the cake (the bottom when it was in the cake pan) facing up for a flat top which makes a more attractive cake and easier to ice. dust with a little ground cinnamon for effect.


Challenge Accepted ??? 

Enjoy!

Tosakanth