Towering Praline Carrot Cake Recipes

PAT'S AWARD WINNING CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the oil and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture just until combined. Stir in chopped pecans, carrot baby food, grated carrots, and coconut. Pour batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

TOWERING PRALINE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour three 9x1-1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside. In a covered medium saucepan cook carrots in a moderate amount of boiling water about 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain. Cool carrots slightly; coarsely mash with a potato masher.
• In a very large bowl stir together flour, sugar, 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add oil, eggs, pineapple, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until all ingredients are combined. Fold in mashed carrots, pecans, and coconut.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on racks. While layers are cooling, prepare Cream Cheese Frosting; beat or stir remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon into frosting.
• To assemble, place one cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate. Using about 1 cup of the frosting, pipe or spoon a rim about 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch high around outer edge of layer. Spoon about 2 tablespoons frosting into center, leaving an unfrosted ring. Spread about half of the Praline Sauce into the unfrosted ring (sauce will not fill ring). Add second cake, top side up; repeat frosting and filling steps using another 1 cup of the frosting and remaining Praline Sauce.
• Add third cake layer, top side up. Frost top and side with remaining frosting. If desired, garnish with additional chopped pecans. Cover; store in refrigerator.
• To serve, let refrigerated cake stand, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (Or thaw frozen cake, covered, in refrigerator overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.) Cream Cheese Frosting
• In a large bowl beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency. (This frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch layers. Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9x2-inch cake.) Cover and store the frosted cake in refrigerator. Praline Sauce
• In small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and whipping cream. Bring to full boil, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Boil gently 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla. Cool. Prepare Towering Praline Carrot Cake as directed through Step 5, assembling cake on the base of a cake container with a tight-fitting lid or one a baking sheet. Do not garnish with pecans. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. (Or freeze just until frosting is firm. Cover with container lid or moisture- and vaporproof wrap. Freeze up to 1 week.)

TOWERING PRALINE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and lightly flour three 9 x 1 1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside.
• In a covered medium saucepan cook carrots in a moderate amount of boiling water about 20 minutes or until very tender; drain.
• Cool carrots slightly. Coarsely mash with a potato masher.
• In a very large bowl stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Make a well in center of flour mixture. Add vegetable oil, eggs, pineapple and vanilla extract. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until all ingredients are combined. Fold in mashed carrots, pecans and coconut.
• Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
• Bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven 35 - 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean.
• Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on racks. While layers are cooling, prepare cream cheese frosting.
• Cream Cheese Frosting:.
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add cream cheese and vanilla extract; beat until fluffy. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Use pecan halves for garnish if desired.
• Praline Sauce:.
• In small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and whipping cream. Bring to full boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat.
• Boil gently 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla extract. Cool.
• To Assemble: Place one cake layer, top side up, on a cake plate. Using about 1 cup of the frosting, pipe or spoon a rim about 1 inch wide and 1/2 inch high around outer edge of layer.
• Spoon about 2 tablespoons frosting into center, leaving an unfrosted ring. Spread about half of the praline sauce into the unfrosted ring. Sauce will not fill ring.
• Add second cake, top side up. Repeat frosting and filling steps using another 1 cup of the frosting and remaining praline sauce.
• Add third cake layer, top side up. Frost top and side with remaining frosting. If desired, garnish with additional chopped pecans.
• Cover. Store in refrigerator.
• Let refrigerated cake stand, covered, at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Or thaw frozen cake, covered, in refrigerator overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

A 14-CARAT CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon.
• In mixing bowl, beat eggs and add sugar.
• Let stand until sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in oil, carrots, drained pineapple and nuts.
• Stir in dry ingredients and beat until well blended--3 minutes or so with blender.
• Turn into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans or one 13-x9-inch pan.
• Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Cool in pans about 10 minutes, then turn onto wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
• Frosting: Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla in large bowl and beat until well blended.
• Add powdered sugar gradually, beating vigorously.
• If frosting is too thick, thin with a few drops of milk to spreading consistency.

TO-DIE-FOR NUTLESS CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Place raisins in a microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with the 3 tbsp of orange liqueur; cover with plastic wrap or a lid and microwave on Medium power for 1 or 2 minutes, until the raisins are warm; remove from microwave and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F; lightly butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray three 9-inch round cake pans or three of the disposable 8 1/2-inch or 9-inch foil pans.
• Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper or wax paper, lightly greased; set pans aside.
• Scrape carrots and grate, using either the grating disc in your cuisinart or on the large holes of a box grater; you do NOT want to grind the carrots, you want them shredded.
• Grated carrots should measure out to be 3 1/2 cups; don't use any more than that or your cake's texture will definitely suffer.
• In a mixing bowl, with electric mixer, beat together eggs, orange zest, brown sugar, oil and vanilla; beat until smooth.
• In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices; I do this by sifting all through a sieve into the bowl.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour in egg mixture, stirring just until moist.
• Carefully fold in carrots and raisins (and any remaining liqueur).
• Divide evenly among three prepared pans; smooth tops.
• Bake in preheated oven until a tester comes out clean when inserted in centre of cakes, 25 to 30 minutes.
• When done, remove cakes from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool thoroughly.
• You could now wrap the cakes tightly and refrigerate them overnight, if you wanted to ice the cake the next day.
• To make the icing, beat softened cream cheese (2 250 gram or 8 oz bars= one pound) in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer until creamy.
• Beat in icing sugar, vanilla and liqueur, combining well.
• Place one layer of cake on a plate and spread one-third of icing over cake layer, going right to the edges.
• Repeat with the next two layers.
• If desired, sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top layer of icing.
• Refrigerate cake for at least one hour before serving, and keep leftover cake in the fridge, well covered.

TOWERING PRALINE CARROT CAKE WITH CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan cook carrots, covered, in a moderate amount of boiling water about 20 minutes or until vert tender. Drain. Cool slightly. Chop in a food processor using several on-off turns, or coarsely mash with potato msher (should have about 1 1/2 cups).
• Grease and lightly flour three 9x1 1/2-inch round cake pans; set aside. (If you only have two pans, prepare two layers and refrigerate remaining third of batter. When the first two are done baking and removed from pans, wash, grease, and lightly flour one pan; bake the remaining batter.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Make a well in center of dry ingredients.
• Add oil, eggs, pineapple, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed about 1 minute until all ingredients are combined. Fold in mashed carrots, the 1 cup pecans, and the coconut. Spread batter evenly into prepared pans.
• Bake the layers for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Using a small spatula or table knife loosen edges and remove from pans. Bake remaining layer, if necessary. Cool cakes thoroughly on wire racks.
• While the cake is cooling, prepare Praline Sauce, Candied Pecans, and Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting.
• To assemble, place one of the cooled cake layers, top side up, on cake plate. Use about 1 cup of the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting to pipe or spoon a rim about 1-inch wide and 1/2-inch high around outer edge of cake layer. Spoon about 2 tablespoons fromsting in the center leaving an unfrostined "ring".
• Spoon and spread about half of the Praline Sauce filling into the unfrosted ring (sauce will not fill ring).
• Add a second cake layer, top side up, and repeat frosting and filling steps using Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting and Praline Sauce.
• Add final cake layer, top side up. Frost top and sides of alyers with remaining frosting.
• Garnish top with Candied Pecans. Store cake in the refrigerator.

THE ULTIMATE CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
• Beat brown and white sugars, oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until well combined. Mix in flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in carrots and pineapple, then fold in pecans. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While the cake is cooling, combine powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract for frosting in a medium bowl. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans.
• Spread frosting over the cooled cake.

PRALINE CAKE

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan. When done, allow cake to cool and leave in pan. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• In a large saucepan, combine brown sugar, flour, butter and egg. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in pecans and vanilla. Spread over cake. Place in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

CARROT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt. Stir in cream; add butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until butter is melted; bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Cool and set aside. , In a large bowl, beat oil and sugar until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with eggs, beating well after each addition. Stir in carrots, raisins and nuts. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a small bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. Spread filling between layers. Frost sides and top of cake. Store in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.