Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
I was planning to make Kaya on Sunday in order to write up a post for it, but the weather was so sunny and balmy – spring has decided to come early, I guess – and I didn’t fancy standing in front of the stove stirring the Kaya (apart from a promise for posting a Kaya recipe, also still owe a couple of people an improved version of my Savoury Sweet Patties recipe, will probably go to that in a couple of weeks since Mid-Autumn is around the corner…). So I made a quick Carrot Cake instead. I have not made Carrot Cake for ages, and it was one of the first cakes I learnt to make.
Historically, carrots were used to add sweetness and moisture in cakes and puddings a couple of hundred years ago. Here’s an excellent article on the history of Carrot Cake for your reading pleasure.
The recipe I used to make Carrot Cake from was originally copied from a Malaysian newspaper clipping. In the mood to experiment again – he-he, so what’s new – I compared a few other recipes from some of my cookbooks and made a few changes to what I used to do!
The result was surprisingly good by having a nutty, mealy texture because I used almond meal as one of the ingredients instead of the usual chopped walnuts. That said, however, I do miss the crunch of the chopped walnuts in the cake. So why didn’t I use walnuts? Well, this stupid dragon went shopping without checking the pantry, quite confident that there was a packet of walnuts at home. Surprise, surprise, I did have a packet at home but it had already gone to heaven, its use-by date long expired! Remembering that almond meal is used in some recipes for Carrot Cake, I rummaged through my fridge for almond meal, thankfully it was still a long time from expiring, so I used it in place of the walnuts. I also decided to separate the egg yolks and whites and beat them separately instead of my usual method of beating them whole. The result, cake came out fluffier and I liked it this way. Verdict, will definitely make it again!
Makes one 20cm cake.
[Ingredients]
Carrot Cake:
200g (approx.) grated carrot, from about 2 medium carrots
150g drained, canned crushed pineapple in natural juice (see Tip)
2 eggs, separated
200ml canola or corn oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
210g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
100g almond meal
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust as desired
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting:
125g cream cheese, softened
30g butter, softened
150g icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon essence or 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
http://cafeoftheeast.blogspot.com/
[Preparation]
Carrot Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Drain crushed pineapple, lightly squeeze to remove excess juice then measure out 150g. Grate carrot and set aside. Grease sides and bottom of a 20cm cake tin and line base with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in almond meal, set aside.
3. Combine egg yolks, 2/3 of the sugar, vanilla and oil in a mixing bowl, beat briefly to mix. Mix in the carrot and pineapple.
4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, spoonful by spoonful, until stiff, glossy meringue.
5. Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture. Then fold in 1/3 of the meringue first, the batter will be a bit stiff, so fold in carefully. Finally fold in the remaining meringue.
6. Pour into prepared tin. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes, test with a skewer. Remove from oven, stand 10 minutes before turning out to a rack to cool.
7. When the cake in cold, top with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat all the ingredients together.
[Tip]
1. If you don’t want to use almond meal, substitute with ground walnut, or chopped walnuts if you prefer a bit of crunch in the cake.
2. Preferably use the canned crushed pineapple in natural juice, not the one that comes in syrup, or else need to adjust your sugar quantity.
[Note]
1. Please note this recipe uses 1 standard cup of 250ml, 1 tablespoon of 20ml and 1 teaspoon of 5ml.
2. The size of egg used is about 60g (includes shell) unless otherwise stated.
Historically, carrots were used to add sweetness and moisture in cakes and puddings a couple of hundred years ago. Here’s an excellent article on the history of Carrot Cake for your reading pleasure.
The recipe I used to make Carrot Cake from was originally copied from a Malaysian newspaper clipping. In the mood to experiment again – he-he, so what’s new – I compared a few other recipes from some of my cookbooks and made a few changes to what I used to do!
The result was surprisingly good by having a nutty, mealy texture because I used almond meal as one of the ingredients instead of the usual chopped walnuts. That said, however, I do miss the crunch of the chopped walnuts in the cake. So why didn’t I use walnuts? Well, this stupid dragon went shopping without checking the pantry, quite confident that there was a packet of walnuts at home. Surprise, surprise, I did have a packet at home but it had already gone to heaven, its use-by date long expired! Remembering that almond meal is used in some recipes for Carrot Cake, I rummaged through my fridge for almond meal, thankfully it was still a long time from expiring, so I used it in place of the walnuts. I also decided to separate the egg yolks and whites and beat them separately instead of my usual method of beating them whole. The result, cake came out fluffier and I liked it this way. Verdict, will definitely make it again!
Makes one 20cm cake.
[Ingredients]
Carrot Cake:
200g (approx.) grated carrot, from about 2 medium carrots
150g drained, canned crushed pineapple in natural juice (see Tip)
2 eggs, separated
200ml canola or corn oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
210g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
100g almond meal
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, adjust as desired
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting:
125g cream cheese, softened
30g butter, softened
150g icing sugar
1/4 teaspoon lemon essence or 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
http://cafeoftheeast.blogspot.com/
[Preparation]
Carrot Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Drain crushed pineapple, lightly squeeze to remove excess juice then measure out 150g. Grate carrot and set aside. Grease sides and bottom of a 20cm cake tin and line base with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in almond meal, set aside.
3. Combine egg yolks, 2/3 of the sugar, vanilla and oil in a mixing bowl, beat briefly to mix. Mix in the carrot and pineapple.
4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining sugar, spoonful by spoonful, until stiff, glossy meringue.
5. Fold the flour mixture into the carrot mixture. Then fold in 1/3 of the meringue first, the batter will be a bit stiff, so fold in carefully. Finally fold in the remaining meringue.
6. Pour into prepared tin. Bake for about 50 - 60 minutes, test with a skewer. Remove from oven, stand 10 minutes before turning out to a rack to cool.
7. When the cake in cold, top with Cream Cheese Frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Beat all the ingredients together.
[Tip]
1. If you don’t want to use almond meal, substitute with ground walnut, or chopped walnuts if you prefer a bit of crunch in the cake.
2. Preferably use the canned crushed pineapple in natural juice, not the one that comes in syrup, or else need to adjust your sugar quantity.
[Note]
1. Please note this recipe uses 1 standard cup of 250ml, 1 tablespoon of 20ml and 1 teaspoon of 5ml.
2. The size of egg used is about 60g (includes shell) unless otherwise stated.
Labels: Cakes and Cupcakes, Coffee Desserts
posted by SeaDragon @ 29.8.05
8 Comments:
Hi SeaDragon,
Your Carrot Cake look yummy!! We have this dessert at western buffet restaurant, but always too sweet, therefore I'll try your recipe next time^^!! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi SeaDragon,
I wonder is it okay with you that I add your blog to my favorites blogster??
I guess it better to get permission from you guys first before adding. May I? Thanks!!
Anna,
You're welcome!
Jaschin,
Thanks for asking, yes you may do so. :)
Thanks SeaDragon! ^^
hi seadragon,
is me again Grace....:P...the one who like to ask so many questions....he..he
can i buy the "Almond Meal" at Coles or Woolworths supermarkt ?
Regards,
Grace
Hey Grace,
Yes, it should be easily available in all supermarkets :)
Hi Seadragon, is it ok if we don't use the crushed pineapples? If so, how should we adjust the quantities of the rest of the ingredients. Fifi
Fifi,
I have not tried without the pineapple before, but I think if you just replace the pineapple with the same amount of carrot, should still be OK. Let me know the result if you do try that :)
Post a Comment
<< Home