Tuesdays With Dorie - Bill's Big Carrot Cake

I wasn’t even sure I would have time to make the Tuesdays with Dorie recipe this week. But am I ever glad I did. Amanda of Slow Like Honey chose Bill’s Big Carrot Cake and I have to say the name is spot on, this is one huge cake!

Three incredible layers full of carrots, coconut, pecans and golden raisins sandwiched in between thick, sweet, dreamy, cream cheese frosting. How could I not make this? I almost omitted the coconut though, not being a big coconut fan myself, but Martin loves it so we compromised and I used the coconut called for in the batter but didn’t use any in the frosting or on top of the cake. The coconut taste is definitely there but not so much that it overpowers the rest of the ingredients. I’m glad I kept as close as possible to the instructions for the look of the cake as it is quite spectacular. I didn’t change the recipe much either except for substituting unsweetened apple sauce for half of the canola oil in the cake, and using low-fat cream cheese in the frosting because that’s what I had in the fridge!

I had eaten carrot cake before but I had never made it myself and this is without a doubt going to be my go to recipe. The cake is moist, just dense enough from all the add-ins and the frosting is fabulous, I mean absolutely fabulous, dahlings! All in all this cake is a keeper! Now go on and see what the rest of the Tuesdays with Dorie gang thought of the cake!

Bill's Big Carrot Cake

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

1/2 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil *or 1/2 cup canola oil and 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce*

4 large eggs

For the frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature *low-fat works well*

1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 pound or 3 and 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract

1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)

Getting ready:

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.

To make the cake:

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear. Gently mix the chunky ingredients. Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean. The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.

To make the frosting:

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth. Beat in the lemon juice or extract.

If you'd like coconut in the filling, scoop about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this position.

To assemble the cake:

Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or generously cover with plain frosting). Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer. Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake stop side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting or plain frosting. Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top- and the sides- of the cake. Finish the top with swirls of frosting. If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

Serving:

This cake can be served as soon as the frosting is set. It can also wait, at room temperature and covered with a cake keeper overnight. The cake is best served in thick slices at room temperature and while it's good plain, it's even better with vanilla ice cream or some lemon curd.

Storing:

The cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. It can also be frozen. Freeze it uncovered, then when it's firm, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost, still wrapped, overnight in the refrigerator.