Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoons baking soda; 237 milliliters safflower or canola oil; 315 milliliters confectioners sugar, sifted after measuring; 454 grams packages cream cheese, chilled; 4 larges eggs, at room temperature; 454 grams carrots, trimmed, peeled, and coarsely grated on the largest holes of a box grater or the fine grating blade of food processor (about 3 lightly packed cups total); 158 milliliters dark or golden raisins; 0 teaspoons ground allspice; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 473 milliliters packed light brown sugar; 1 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg; 1 teaspoons fine sea salt or table salt; 473 milliliters unbleached all-purpose flour; 11 Tbsps unsalted butter, softened at room temperature; 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract; 158 milliliters walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped, plus more lightly toasted nuts for garnish

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a vegetarian recipe with 8 servings. One portion of this dish contains approximately 12g of protein, 47g of fat, and a total of 895 calories. This recipe covers 12% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. Head to the store and pick up confectioners' sugar, unbleached flour, cream cheese, and a few other things to make it today. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Easter. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 2 hours.

Instructions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Butter the bottom and sides of 2 (9-inch-round, 2-inch-deep) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Equipment you will use

Baking Paper

Oven

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.

Ingredients you will need

Baking Soda

Allspice

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

All Purpose Flour

Salt

Equipment you will use

Whisk

Bowl

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar on the lowest speed to break up any lumps.

Ingredients you will need

Brown Sugar

Equipment you will use

Stand Mixer

Bowl

Add 1 egg and continue to mix on low until smooth and incorporated.

Ingredients you will need

Egg

Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, and mix on low until smooth and incorporated. Shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle. Return the mixer to low then add the oil in a thin steady stream and continue to beat until fully incorporated.

Ingredients you will need

Egg

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Blender

Bowl

Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, using a large rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until just incorporated. Fold in the carrots, along with the nuts and raisins, if using.

Ingredients you will need

Carrot

Raisins

All Purpose Flour

Nuts

Equipment you will use

Spatula

Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.

Bake until the layers are firm and risen and the tip of a paring knife inserted in the center of the cake emerges clean, about 40 minutes.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Knife

Transfer to a wire rack to let cool for 5 minutes then invert the cake layers onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Use another rack or a large plate to invert the cake layers again then slide them back on to the rack so they are right side up.

Equipment you will use

Baking Paper

Wire Rack

Let the cake layers cool completely. DO AHEAD: The cakes can be baked ahead, cooled, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen up to 1 month.

Ingredients you will need

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Plastic Wrap

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter and beat on medium until smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle.

Ingredients you will need

Cream Cheese

Butter

Equipment you will use

Stand Mixer

Bowl

Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla, and beat on medium, scraping down the bowl and paddle as necessary, until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Powdered Sugar

Vanilla

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Place 1 cake layer on a large plate and cover the top with about 1/3 of the frosting. Invert the second layer on top of the frosted bottom layer so that the flat side (the bottom) is on top.

Ingredients you will need

Frosting

Spread the remaining frosting on the sides and top of the cake. If you used walnuts or pecans in the cake, sprinkle the frosting with a few tablespoons of lightly toasted chopped nuts. Keep at cool room temperature until serving time. DO AHEAD: Carrot cake can be baked and frosted ahead and kept, in an airtight cake dome, at cool room temperature, for 2 to 3 days.

Ingredients you will need

Frosting

Walnuts