MAGIC FROSTED CARROT CAKE
MAKES 16 SERVINGS HANDS-ON TIME 30 MINUTES TOTAL TIME 3¾ HOURS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
3 eggs
1½ cups granulated sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups shredded carrots (about 3 large) 1 398 ml can crushed pineapple,
drained
½ cup chopped toasted pecans
or walnuts
Magic Frosting
1¾ cups granulated sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
5 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
1¾ cups homogenized milk
2 tsp vanilla
1½ cups unsalted butter, softened assorted pastel food colouring
⅔ cup mini candy-coated
chocolate eggs
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mist two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper and dust with flour, tapping out excess.
In large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. In separate bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth; stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Stir in carrots, pineapple and pecans until combined. Scrape into prepared pans, dividing evenly; smooth tops.
Bake until cake tester inserted in centres comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert onto rack; remove pans and parchment paper. Let cool completely.
Magic Frosting
Meanwhile, in saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt until combined. Gradually add milk, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking, until mixture comes to boil, 6 to 8 minutes. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is bubbling and resembles thick paste, about 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
Remove from heat; scrape into shallow bowl. Place over ice bath; let stand, stirring occasionally, until cold.
In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until very light and fluffy, 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; gradually beat in flour mixture, 2 tbsp at a time, for 2 minutes. Scrape side and bottom of bowl. Increase speed to medium; beat until very fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Remove 3 cups of the frosting, dividing among 2 or 3 small bowls. Tint each bowl with food colouring to desired colour. Refrigerate.
Assembly
Place 1 cake layer on serving plate. Spread with 1 cup of the plain frosting; top with remaining cake layer. Using large offset palette knife, spread remaining plain frosting all over cake.
Place each coloured frosting in separate piping bag fitted with small to medium tips in assorted shapes. Pipe dots and shapes on side and top of cake, refrigerating frosting if it becomes too soft. Refrigerate cake for 30 minutes; decorate with chocolate eggs.
PER SERVING about 629 cal, 5 g pro, 37 g total fat (14 g sat. fat), 71 g carb (2 g dietary fibre, 50 g sugar), 84 mg chol, 370 mg sodium, 176 mg potassium. % RDI: 10% calcium, 10% iron, 55% vit A, 4% vit C, 23% folate.
DID YOU KNOW? Magic frosting is a classic icing known by many names and has a combination of flour, milk, butter and sugar. Magically, this cooked flour mixture whips up into the most velvety, fluffy flour buttercream.