CARROT CAKE (GATEAU DE CAROTTES)
Here is another recipe from Morse’s great-grandmother, a super-moist carrot cake — a light version that stands on its own flavorwise without any frosting. Dotted with grated carrots, the cake can be stored for several days at room temperature. It can be served with whipped cream.
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
Soft butter for greasing pan 4 eggs, divided use
3/4 cup granulated sugar 4ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
2 oranges
2 tablespoons orange liqueur, such as Cointreau 2 cups coarsely grated carrots
1 1/3 cup almond flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 cup almond meal 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 4 tablespoons powdered sugar, divided use
1cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Cook’s notes: The terms “almond flour” and “almond meal” are often used interchangeably, though they are not the same. Both are used in this recipe.
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the sides of a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl or bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks, sugar and 4 ounces of butter until the mixture forms ribbons (a portion of the batter leaves a trail atop the mixture
when it falls from a spoon or electric mixer’s whisk attachment). Zest and juice the oranges. Set zest aside. Add 1/2 cup orange juice, Cointreau and the grated carrots to the egg yolk-sugar mixture; mix to combine.
3. In medium bowl, mix the almond flour, baking powder and almond meal. In increments, fold this into the egg yolk-grated carrot mixture and set aside.
4. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and 3 tablespoons powdered
sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter and transfer to the prepared cake pan. Bake on middle rack of preheated oven until firm to the touch, 50 to 55 minutes. Cool on a rack and unmold on serving platter. 5. In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream with the remaining powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Cut cake into wedges and serve each with a generous dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with reserved orange zest.