Be the first to Rich and moist carrot cake is topped with a marmalade cream cheese frosting. Use a microplane to make quick work of the grated carrots and orange zest. Although the ingredients list may seem long, this is an easy cake to make.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 3 cups (lightly packed) grated peeled carrots
- 3/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- .
- Frosting:
- 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-1/4 cups (about) orange marmalade
- 6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 1-1/4 cups finely chopped toasted walnuts (about 6 ounces)
Preparation:
For Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into medium bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, sugars, marmalade, and juice in large bowl until blended. Stir in dry ingredients. Fold in carrots and walnuts.
Divide batter between cake pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks; cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.
For Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup marmalade, butter, and orange peel and beat just until smooth. If necessary, cover and chill until firm enough to spread.
Place 1 cake on plate. Spread with 1/4 cup marmalade. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake. Spoon 2 cups frosting into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake.
Pipe frosting in 4 parallel lines atop cake in opposite direction, forming lattice. Press 1 cup nuts onto sides of cake. Pipe ring of frosting around top edge of cake. Stir 1/4 cup marmalade to loosen; spoon some into 1 row of lattice diamonds. Spoon some remaining nuts into next row of diamonds.
Repeat, alternating marmalade and nuts, filling rows completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)
Yield: 12 servings
Recipe Source: Bon Appetit, 1993 (Knapp Press)
Reprinted with permission.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 2-inch-high sides.
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into medium bowl.
Beat eggs, oil, sugars, marmalade, and juice in large bowl until blended. Stir in dry ingredients. Fold in carrots and walnuts.
Divide batter between cake pans. Bake until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer cakes to racks; cool 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool completely.
For Frosting:
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup marmalade, butter, and orange peel and beat just until smooth. If necessary, cover and chill until firm enough to spread.
Place 1 cake on plate. Spread with 1/4 cup marmalade. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake. Spoon 2 cups frosting into pastry bag fitted with large star tip. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake.
Pipe frosting in 4 parallel lines atop cake in opposite direction, forming lattice. Press 1 cup nuts onto sides of cake. Pipe ring of frosting around top edge of cake. Stir 1/4 cup marmalade to loosen; spoon some into 1 row of lattice diamonds. Spoon some remaining nuts into next row of diamonds.
Repeat, alternating marmalade and nuts, filling rows completely. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill.)
Yield: 12 servings
Recipe Source: Bon Appetit, 1993 (Knapp Press)
Reprinted with permission.
