Like I said, there are a tons of recipes for carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting out there and I am not saying this is the best one. I am, however, saying that of all the recipes I have tested, this one hits the right balance of flavor, moistness and lightness and works wonderfully for multiple layers. I made four but this one can well handle a couple more. And, there is a delectable nuttiness running through the layers from the pecans and the whole wheat flour.
Also, on that frosting bit. I was simply appalled at the amount of frosting I needed to cover the whole cake in rosettes. So, I chucked the roses from the sides and I think it looks just fine! Besides, all that matters is the taste, right? Right!
So here is my Monday offering to you - a
tray of edible roses resting on some really lovely cake
. A week started sweet is gonna rock!
Carrot Cake Layered with Orange Cheese Filling and Berry Rosettes
For the cake:
1-3/4 cups whole wheat flour, sifted
1 cup unbleached white flour, sifted
1 T + 1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2-3/4 cups grated carrots
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup olive oil {you can just double the olive oil and skip the canola oil}
1 cup raw sugar
1/2 a nutmeg nut
2 tsp whole cloves
2 T almond milk
1/2 cup or more chopped toasted pecans
For the frosting + filling:
Notes -
1. If you want make the roses on the sides as well, increase all the quantities by a quarter more. So, instead of 20 oz cream cheese, you will need 25 oz
2. It is not berry season. So, I highly recommend using ones that you froze over summer or flash frozen in the freezer section. The organic ones are better as the chemicals are not seeping into the fruit for all that time.
20 oz neuschaftel cream cheese or regular as you prefer, at room temperature
4 oz strained yogurt
5 T raw honey
zest of one orange
Handful of frozen berries, thawed
Baking the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two 8 inch cake pans.
Process the raw sugar and cloves into a fine powder. Mix with the sifted flours, baking soda and salt. Grate in the half nutmeg into this mixture.
Make a well in the center and add all the liquid ingredients - eggs, oils, and almond milk.
Fold in the wet into the dry to make a thick batter.
Add the grated carrots and fold. The batter will loosen from the water of the carrots. Fold in the pecans quickly without working the dough too much, just like folding in whites.
Divide the batter evenly into the cake pans and bake for 25 to 30 mins until they are springy to touch.
Remove from pans and cook on rack. Do not touch them till they are completely cool or the frosting will not stick.
Whipping the frosting:
While the cakes cool, whip together the frosting ingredients other than the berries. Set aside until the cake is ready
Assembly:
Using a bread knife or other serrated knife cut out the domed bit of each cake, so it is relatively flat. Slice each cake horizontally in half.
Flip one of the cakes, so the top of the cake touches the cake base and makes the bottom layer.
Spread a generous amount of frosting on top. Place the other (bottom) half of this cake on top and then slather on more frosting.
For the next layer, use the bottom half of the second cake. More frosting and place the final layer.
Next, pulse the berries with the remaining frosting. Chill for 10 minutes. The cooling lets the frosting firm up and that is a lot better for piping roses.
Make yourself a cup of tea. Relax.
Phase 2 begins. Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of the berry frosting.
When you are happy with the coverage, spoon the rest of the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a wide ridged icing tip.
Squeeze out the frosting to make small rounds that look like roses. Fill the surface of the cake.
If you are covering the sides as well, continue piping.
Voila! Thats it. Brew a second pot of tea, cut yourself a huge slice and read a book. Or, if you insist on begin generous share with someone but tell them to stay silent, so you can enjoy this cake without distraction.