Carrot Layer Cakecooks Illustrated Recipes

CLEMENTINE CAKE

Steps:

• Put the clementines in a pot with cold water to cover, bring to the boil, and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the seeds. Then finely chop the skins, pith, and fruit in the processor (or by hand, of course).
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter and line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
• Beat the eggs. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder. Mix well, adding the chopped clementines. I don't like using the processor for this, and frankly, you can't balk at a little light stirring.
• Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover the cake with foil after about 40 minutes to stop the top from burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, in the pan on a rack. When the cake is cold, you can take it out of the pan. I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it anytime.
• I've also made this with an equal weight of oranges and lemons, in which case I increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups and slightly Anglicize it, too, by adding a glaze made of confectioners' sugar mixed to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.

CARROT LAYER CAKE(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• CAKE: Set a rack to the middle of your oven and preheat to 350-degrees. Grease an 18"x 13" rimmed baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, and then grease the parchment paper too.
• Shred four carrots on the large holes of a box grater or using the shedding disk and your food processor.
• In a medium bowl, add together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves. Whisk together until combined.
• In another large bowl add sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Use a whisk to combine until smooth. Gently stir in carrots and currants with a rubber spatula until evenly distributed. Finally, add in flour mixture and fold in with your rubber spatula, but only until it is just combined.
• Empty batter onto baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to smooth surface and ensure the batter is an even depth. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating half-way through baking, until the center is firm when touched.
• Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in pan set on a wire rack. Flip the cake onto a wire rack then immediately re-flip back onto a second wire rack. The cake should be resting with the parchment side down. Allow the cake to cool for another 30 minutes.
• FROSTING: While the cake is cooking, toast your pecans and chop them coarsely. Cut your cream cheese into 12 equal-size pieces, but keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use in step 3.
• Add the butter, sugar, buttermilk powder, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a standing mixer. Mix using the paddle attachment on low-speed for 2 minutes; scrape down the bowl as necessary.
• Increase mixer speed to medium-low, then add cream cheese one piece at a time. Mix for 2 minutes until the frosting is smooth.
• ASSEMBLY: Put cooled cake on a cutting board and cut into equal halves cross-wise. Cut length-wise so that you have 4 equal pieces, measuring about 6″x8″ each.
• Cut out a 6″x8″ rectangle out of stiff cardboard. Put the first of the cake piece on the cardboard. Use a spatula to spread 2/3-cup of frosting over layer. Repeat with two more layers.
• Place the final cake layer on top. Remove any crumbs from your spatula and frost the top with a 1-cup of frosting.
• Frost the sides of the cake with your remaining frosting. You just need enough frosting to hold the chopped pecans, not completely hide all the crumbs.
• Holding the cake with one hand, use your other hand to gently press the chopped pecans onto the side of your cake. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

CARROT MARMALADE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees (oven rack to secon-lowest position).
• Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
• In a medium bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
• In another bowl beat eggs, oil, vanilla, both sugars, marmalade and orange juice until well blended (about 3 minutes).
• Stir in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon; mix to combine well.
• Fold in the carrots and nuts.
• Divide the batter between the two pans.
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cakes test done.
• Transfer the cakes to racks and cool for about 15 minutes.
• Turn out the cakes onto racks to cool completely.
• Frost the cooled cake with favorite frosting.

GRANDMA'S CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the sugar and oil until blended. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Fold in the pineapple, carrots, coconut and walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. While still warm, poke holes in the cake with a fork.
• For the glaze: In a saucepan, combine butter, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes. Pour glaze over warm cake, then allow to cool completely.

OLD-FASHIONED CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat eggs, sugar, carrots, cream cheese and oil until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to carrot mixture. Stir in pineapple and nuts. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool. , In a heavy saucepan, cook and stir flour and milk over medium-low heat until a thick paste forms, about 10 minutes. Chill for 30 minutes. In a large mixer, cream the butter, sugars and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the chilled flour mixture until smooth, about 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Frost cake. Sprinkle with nuts.