Thursday, October 27, 2011

Crazy Delicious Carrot Cake

(courtesy of Southern Living, 1997 and www.cupcakeproject.com)


Carrot Cake Ingredients
            2 cups all-purpose flour
            1/2 teaspoon baking soda
            2 teaspoons baking powder
            1/2 teaspoon salt
            2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

            3 large eggs
            2 cups sugar
            3/4 cup vegetable oil
            3/4 cup buttermilk
            2 teaspoons vanilla extract

            1 pound grated baby carrots, grated (I use a mini food processor.)
            1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
            3 1/2-ounce flaked coconut
            1 cup chopped pecans
Preparation
          1. Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with parchment paper; lightly grease and flour parchment paper and sides of pans. Set pans aside.
          2. Stir together first 4 ingredients.
          3. Beat eggs and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.
4. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Refrigerate cakes, in pans, for at least an hour. Remove from pans. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Refrigerate cake.
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Buttermilk Glaze Ingredients 
            1 cup sugar
            1 teaspoon baking soda
            1/2 cup buttermilk
            1/2 cup butter or margarine
            1 tablespoon light corn syrup
            1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation 
          Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla. (Beware: this can boil over quickly.)
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Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
            3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
            1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
            1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
            3 cups sifted powdered sugar
            1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.
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Candied Carrot Curls Ingredients
1 large carrot (preferably fat) or 2 medium
1 C water
1 C sugar
Preparation
1.              Peel layers from carrot lengthwise on one side with peeler until you begin to get wide slices. Peel wide strips, reserving them, until you get about 15 (you’ll probably want a few extra.)
2.              Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
3.              Add carrot strips and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. 
4.              Strain into a colander, discarding syrup.
5.              Let stand 15 minutes.
6.              Preheat oven to 225 F with rack in middle.
7.              Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, then arrange candied carrot slices flat in 1 layer on sheet.

Bake until dry but still flexible, about 25-30 minutes. Leave oven on.

Wind carrot strips, 1 at a time, around a dowel rod or the end of the handle of a wooden spoon in a loose spiral, then slip off each curl and return, seam sides down, to parchment lined baking sheet. 
Return curls to oven to dry until crisp, 30 to 45 minutes more. (Most of my curls didn't stay curly, but I loved them anyway. Next time, I think I’ll try to slice the carrots a little thicker.)

Cool completely on baking sheet.  Carrot curls can be made 5 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Recrisp in a 250 F oven 10 minutes. (Don't put them on your cake until just before serving or they will get soggy.)



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