What's Cookin' Wednesday?

* Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting *

This creation was made especially for my Mum on her birthday.

Ingredients:   

Cake:

2 1/2c flour, 1tsp baking powder, 1tsp baking soda, 1tsp ground cinnamon, 3/4tsp coarse salt, 1/2tsp ground ginger, 1/2tsp ground nutmeg, 340gm unsalted butter (room temp), 1cup light brown sugar, 1/2cup sugar, 3 eggs, 2tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/2cup water, 2 3/4cup grated carrots (approx. 4 large), 2cups pecans (1c finely chopped for batter, 1c coarsely chopped for in centre).

Frosting: (1/2 this recipe would be adequate - I had lots left over)

1 pound/450 gm cream cheese, 2tsp pure vanilla extract, 240gm unsalted butter (room temp), 2 pounds/900 gm icing sugar mixture (sifted), food dye (optional).

Decoration:

Fondant icing, food dye, sparkling balls, piping bag w/nozzles.

Method:

Cake: 

1. Preheat oven to 175C.

2. Grease an oven-safe glass bowl (Eg. Pyrex) and dust with flour. 

3. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger & nutmeg.

4. In a mixer, beat butter & sugars together till pale & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat till each one is incorporated.

5. Beat for 3 mins. Add vanilla, water & carrots. 

6. Beat for another 2 mins, reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture & finely chopped pecans.

7. Spoon mixture into glass bowl and bake for 1hr15mins.

8. Allow cake to cool in bowl for 15mins, run knife around edge, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Frosting:

1. In an electric mixer, beat cream cheese & vanilla till light & creamy (2mins).

2. Gradually add butter and mix till well incorporated (medium speed).

3. Reduce mixer to low, gradually add sugar, and mix till well incorporated. 

4. If you want to colour your frosting; add a few drops of dye at a time, mixing well till desired colour is achieved.

Decoration:

1. Slide cooked cake out of bowl. Slice in half horizontally and separate halves. Allow to cool.

2. Once halves have cooled, spoon a generous amount of frosting in the centre, sprinkle with 1 cup coarse pecans, and top with other half.

3. Chose your favourite nozzle and attach to piping bag (I used a small star nozzle). Spoon a good amount of frosting into piping bag and pipe away.

4. Once you have piped all over your dome cake, randomly cover with your frosting shapes and sparkling balls.

5. Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

5. Pop on a candle and let the singing begin!

This cake is deliciously moist and creamy. 

It is without a doubt, the best carrot cake I've ever had! 

Don't be surprised that once you make it, 

everyone will be asking for the recipe.