Recipe: Best Ever Carrot Cake

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

• 250g (2 cups) all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chai spice blend
• 400g (2 cups) granulated sugar
• 250g (1.25 cups) canola or other neutral oil
• 4 eggs
• 300g (3 cups) finely grated carrot
• 115g (1 cup) toasted walnuts
• 70g (0.5 cup) currants or chopped dates (NOT raisins)

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting – from Smitten Kitchen

• 16oz (2 blocks) cream cheeses
• 115g (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 80g (1/4 cup) maple syrup
• 375g (3 cups) confectioner sugar, adjust depending on your climate and how stiff you like your frosting

Method

Bake the cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. prepare 2 x 9″ round cake tins with parchment paper, butter them and flour
3. Whisk together the dry ingredients (flour baking soda, salt, & chai) and set aside
4. Whisk the sugar and oil together
5. Whisk in the eggs 1 at a time
6. Add the dry ingredients and stir
7. add the carrots, nuts, and dried fruit (and stir)
8. Divide the mix evenly betweent the cake tins (i’m extra and weigh them to ensure even layers). line 8/8 baking tin with parchment paper (if you double the recipe, use 9×13)
9. Bake on 350 for ~45minutes. Cake is ready when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean
10. Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes, before turning out on rack to cool the rest of the way.
11. Before leveling to frost, ensure cakes are fully cooled. To store before frosting, double wrap with plastic wrap and freeze.

Frosting

1. Beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter together
2. When smooth, beat in the maple syrup
3. Add the powdered sugar slowly until you reach your desired consistency

Build the cake (i know – it sounds so easy and rarely is)

1. Level your cake layers and divide in half (so you get 4 layers, total)
2. put your frosting in a piping back
3. Pipe even frosting over each frozen layer as you stack
4. crumb coat the outside and chill
5. coat the cake with the rest of the frosting and smooth
6. Let set up in the fridge at least a few hours before service
7. Cut a wedge and enjoy! Don’t forget to take pictures!