(Best Ever) Carrot Cake
Yield: 16 servings
For pecan cream filling
1 1⁄2 cups granulated sugar 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 3⁄4 teaspoon salt 1 1⁄2 cups heavy cream 6 ounces (3⁄4 cup) unsalted butter 1 1⁄4 cups chopped pecans 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For carrot cake
1 1⁄4 cups corn oil 2 cups granulated sugar 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 4 eggs 4 cups grated carrots 1 cup raisins 1 cup chopped pecans
For cream cheese frosting
8 ounces soft unsalted butter 8 ounces soft cream cheese 1 pound powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For assembly 4 ounces (1 1⁄2 cups) shredded, sweetened coconut
Make the filling: In a heavy saucepan, blend well the sugar, flour and salt. Gradually stir in the cream. Add the butter. Cook and stir the mixture over low heat until the butter has melted, then let simmer 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown in color, stirring occasionally. Cool to lukewarm. Stir in the nuts and vanilla. Let cool completely and then refrigerate, preferably overnight. If too thick to spread, bring to room temperature before using. Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube cake pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the corn oil and sugar. Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift half the dry ingredients into the sugar-oil mixture and blend. Alternately sift in the rest of the dry ingredients while adding the eggs, one by one. Combine well. Add the carrots, raisins and pecans. Pour into the prepared tube pan and bake for exactly 70 minutes. Cool upright in the pan on a cooling rack. If you are not using the cake that day, it can be removed from the pan, wrapped well in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature.
Make the frosting: Cream the butter well. Add the cream cheese and beat until blended. Sift in the sugar and add the vanilla. If too soft to spread, chill a bit. Refrigerate if not using immediately, but bring to a spreadable temperature before using.
Assemble the cake: Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until it colors lightly. Toss the coconut occasionally while it is baking so that it browns evenly. Cool completely. Have the filling and frosting at a spreadable consistency. Loosen the cake in its pan and invert onto a serving plate. With a long serrated knife, carefully split the cake into 3 horizontal layers (keep the cake flat while doing this). Spread the filling between the layers. Spread the frosting over the top and sides. Pat the toasted coconut onto the sides of the cake. If desired, reserve 1⁄2 cup of the frosting and color half with green food coloring and half with orange. Then decorate the top of the cake with green and orange icing piped through a 1⁄16-inch wide, plain pastry tube to resemble little carrots. Serve the cake at room temperature.
Note: This cake is most easily made if you start it at least a day ahead, because the filling, for one thing, is best left to chill overnight. In fact, the different components can all be made even several days in advance and stored separately until you are
ready to assemble the cake.
Nutrition per serving: 1,008 calories, 65 g fat; 27 g saturated fat; 145 mg cholesterol; 7 g protein; 104 g carbohydrates; 84 g sugar; 3.5 g fiber; 515 mg sodium; 85 mg calcium.
Recipe from “The Frog Commissary Cookbook,” by Steven Poses, Anne Clark and Becky Roller