Masala Chai Carrot Cake Recipes

HALWA CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch springform cake pan.
• In a bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, vanilla and egg together until combined.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, chai masala powder, baking powder and salt until well blended. Add the dry ingredients to a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add the carrots, nuts and dates. Turn the stand mixer on stir and gradually add the liquid ingredients until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top of the cake is springy when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool.
• For the halwa: Add the milk, carrots, cardamom powder and saffron to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, then add the raisins and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk dries up and the raw smell of the carrot disappears, another 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the ghee to a small saute pan over medium heat and allow to melt. Add the almonds, cashews and pistachios and stir to coat in the ghee. Allow to toast, stirring often, about 5 minutes.
• Add the paneer, toasted nuts, condensed milk and granulated sugar to the pot with the milk mixture and stir to combine. Pour the mixture onto sheet trays to cool quickly, then refrigerate to cool completely.
• For the assembly: Remove the cake from the pan and split into two layers horizontally. Put 1 cake layer back into the springform pan to help with filling the cake. Put 1 cup of the whipped cream into a pastry bag and line the rim of the cake with whipped cream. Fill the middle of the cake with the halwa. Top with the remaining cake layer, then frost the entire cake with the remaining whipped cream. Garnish the cake with the pistachio dust, edible flowers and gold leaf. Slice and serve.

CARROT CAKE WITH CHAI-FLAVORED CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
• Whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice, and salt together in a medium bowl.
• Whisk brown sugar, oil, applesauce, and white sugar together in a separate bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Switch to a large rubber spatula and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until incorporated and batter is smooth. Stir in carrots and raisins. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning out onto cooling racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes. If you find that a cake layer is stuck to the bottom of the pan, leave the cake pan upside down and allow gravity to do its thing.
• While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer browned butter to a bowl. Add cream cheese and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time until desired taste and consistency.
• Frost cooled cake with cream cheese frosting and toasted pecans.