arrot
Cake is one of those cakes that never go out of style. One bite will tell you
why. This rich and moist spice cake, full of grated carrot and toasted nuts, has
great flavor, especially when covered with a cream cheese frosting. The
interesting part about adding grated carrot, is how you really don't taste its
flavor. Instead, what those pretty flecks of orange do is to give the cake color
and texture, along with sweetness and moisture. I think the biggest debate
surrounding the Carrot Cake is whether crushed pineapple or applesauce should be
added to the batter. The addition of either of these ingredients will give the
cake more flavor and moisture, so if you like, add 1/2 cup of either crushed
pineapple or applesauce to the batter, right along with the oil and vanilla
extract.
Thinking about it, using carrots in baking does seem odd, but Alan
Davidson in 'The Oxford Companion to Food' tells us that carrots were used
in European sweet cakes since the Middle Ages when other sweeteners were
hard to find or just too expensive. In
fact, carrots, along with beets, contain more sugar than most other
vegetables which might explain their use in desserts
Speaking of carrots,
the orange carrots we enjoy today originated from the purple variety grown
in Afghanistan since the 7th Century AD. As carrots moved westward into
Europe the orange variety came about and this is the variety the English
settlers brought to America. 'Carrot' comes from the Greek word "karōton"
and the Greeks started the belief that eating carrots would improve your
eyesight. John Ayto in "An A-Z of Food & Drink" tells how during World War
II the British furthered this belief by saying that British pilots
improved their night vision by eating huge amounts of carrots. They were,
however, only trying to encourage the eating of carrots as it was one of
the few foods that were not in short supply during the war.
Note: For a more casual dessert you could bake
this cake in a 9 x 13 x 2 inch
(23 x 33 x 5 cm) pan. Just increase the baking time to between 30 to 40 minutes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180
degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter or spray two - 9 x 2
inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with a circle
of parchment
paper.
Toast
the pecans
or walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and
then chop coarsely.
Peel and finely grate the carrots. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk together the
flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In bowl of electric mixer
(or with a hand mixer), beat the eggs until frothy (about 1 minute). Gradually
add the sugar and beat until the batter is thick and light colored (about 3 - 4
minutes). Add the oil in a steady stream and then beat in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat
just until
incorporated. With a large rubber spatula
fold in the grated carrots and chopped
nuts. Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans and bake 25
to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. After about 5 -10
minutes invert the cakes onto the wire rack, remove the pans and parchment
paper, and then cool completely before frosting.
To assemble: place one cake
layer, top side down, onto your serving plate. Spread
with about one third of the frosting. Gently place the other cake, top of
cake facing down, onto
the frosting, and spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the
cake. If desired, press toasted and finely chopped nuts on the sides of the cake
and decorate the top of the cake with marzipan
carrots (see below). Cover and refrigerate any leftovers.
Serves 10 - 12.
Frosting:
In bowl of electric
mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter, on low
speed, until very smooth with no lumps. Gradually add the sifted powdered
sugar and beat, on low speed, until fully incorporated and smooth. Beat in
the vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
Marzipan Carrots:
To make the carrots you will
need: Marzipan and orange and green icing colors (can use liquid or paste
food coloring)
Knead
a small amount of orange food coloring into the marzipan until the color is
distributed and is the desired "carrot" color. Shape into carrots, using a
toothpick to make veins.
Knead
a small amount of green food coloring into the marzipan and make the carrot
tops.
Marzipan is a cooked mixture of finely ground almonds, sugar, and water.
It is slightly sweeter and firmer than almond paste and has a smoother texture. It can be colored and rolled out to cover cakes and pastries, or
formed into shapes. It comes in plastic-wrapped rolls.
Recipe:
1
cup (100 grams) pecans or
walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
Note:
For a moister
carrot cake, add 1/2 cup of
crushed pineapple (well drained) or applesauce to the batter when you add the
oil and vanilla
extract. You may have to bake the cake a few minutes longer.
Note: This cake can be baked in a
9 x 13 x 2 inch
(23 x 33 x 5 cm) pan. Just increase the baking time to between 30 to 40 minutes
Cream
Cheese Frosting:
1/4 cup
(57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces (227 grams)
cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups (230
grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted
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arrot
Cake is one of those cakes that never go out of style. One bite will tell you
why. This rich and moist spice cake, full of grated carrot and toasted nuts, has
great flavor, especially when covered with a cream cheese frosting. The
interesting part about adding grated carrot, is how you really don't taste its
flavor. Instead, what those pretty flecks of orange do is to give the cake color
and texture, along with sweetness and moisture. I think the biggest debate
surrounding the Carrot Cake is whether crushed pineapple or applesauce should be
added to the batter. The addition of either of these ingredients will give the
cake more flavor and moisture, so if you like, add 1/2 cup of either crushed
pineapple or applesauce to the batter, right along with the oil and vanilla
extract.
