Carrot Cake – Honey-Butter with Toasted Pecans and Citrus Cream Cheese Icing
Cake
- Butter or non-stick spray
- 1 ½ teaspoon (7 ml) baking powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) ground clove or allspice
- ¾ cup (175 ml) butter, softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla
- 1 apple, peeled and grated
- 2 cups (500 ml) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (2 ml) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt
- ½ cup (125 ml) honey
- 1 cup (250 ml) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (750 ml) finely grated carrot
- 1 cup (250 ml) toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Icing
- One 250g package regular cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon (25 ml) honey
- ½ cup (125 ml) butter, softened
- 2 teaspoon (10 ml) lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon (25 ml) finely grated orange, lemon, lime zest (or a mixture of all three)
- 4 to 5 cups (1 to 1.25 L) sifted icing sugar
Preheat oven to 350 F(180 C)
Butter two 9-inch (23 cm) layer pans or coat with a nonstick spray; line bottom with circle of parchment or waxed paper. Sift flour with baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.
In another bowl, using an electric mixer, cream butter until lighter in colour and slightly fluffy. Slowly beat in honey, then eggs, one at a time. Beat in sugar and vanilla.
Add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, stirring until just absorbed. Stir in carrots, apple and pecans.
Divide batter between pans, smooth tops. Bake in oven centre for 35 to 40 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into cake centre comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes; then turn out to finish cooling on rack.
To make icing, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in butter, then honey, zest and lemon juice. Gradually add icing sugar until thick enough for spreading. Spread between stacked layers, then over sides and top. Sprinkle with any extra zest or chopped pecans,
- Makes 8 – 12 servings.
Bundt Carrot Cake
Make cake batter. Butter a 10 inch (3 L) bundt pan or coat with cooking spray. Evenly spoon in batter and smooth top. Bake in oven center for 55 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into cake centre comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes; then turn out to finish cooling on rack. Make only half recipe of icing. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle with extra zest or chopped pecans.
(LCBO Food & Drink, Spring 2003, pg. 169)