Mother’s Day Carrot Cake Recipe

Bake Mom this towering layered delight this Mother’s Day. Moist, mildly spiced cake flecked with carrots and pecans is enveloped by a generous coating of cream-cheese frosting. Carrot cake is easy to make, versatile, and utterly delicious. Enjoy this recipe courtesy of Pastry Chef Karen Souillet from Headwaters Restaurant at The Millcroft Inn & Spa.  

Carrot Cake Recipe

Compliments of Pastry Chef Karen Souillet from Headwaters Restaurant at The Millcroft Inn & Spa.  

Serves 10 – 12 People, Yields: 1 – 8” Cake

Ingredients:

2 cup All-purpose flour
2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Nutmeg
¾ tsp Salt
3 large Eggs
¼ cup Granulated sugar
¾ cup Packed brown sugar
¾ cup Vegetable oil
1 tsp Vanilla
2 cups Grated carrots (approx. 2 large)
1 398 ml can of Crushed pineapple (drained)
½ cup Favorite chopped nuts (pecans are great)
1 cup Coconut, shredded (optional)

Cream Cheese Icing:

2 1/2 package x 250g Cream cheese, softened
½ cup Butter
1 tsp Vanilla
6 cup Icing sugar

Method for Carrot Cake:

1. Grease and flour 2″ x 8” round cake pans.
2. Preheat oven to 350˚ F (180˚ C).
3. Whisk the first 6 dry ingredients in a bowl.
4. In a mixer bowl, beat together the next 5 ingredients until smooth.
5. Add flour mixture and mix just until moistened.
6. Hand stir in carrots, pineapple, pecans and coconut.
7. Scrape into cake pans.
8. Bake for 35-38 minutes.
9. Let cakes completely cool on a cooling rack.

Method for Cream Cheese Icing:

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth, & mix in vanilla.
2. Beat in Icing sugar 1/3 at a time until smooth and combined.
3. Slice each cake horizontally to make 4 even layers.
4. Place 1 cake layer on a cake plate cut side up and add approximately ¾ cup icing and smooth across cake layer evenly.
5. Put on another cake layer. Repeat with remaining layers until you assemble the last layer.
6. Spread a super thin layer all over cake (crumb coat) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
7. Take the cake out of the fridge and utilize remaining icing to finish top and sides.

Tips:

1. Do not overmix your flour in as you still need to add carrots, pineapple, nuts and coconut.
2. You may also refrigerate or half freeze the cakes for ease of cutting the 8” rounds in half.
3. Be careful to not use too much filling in the layers or you will not have enough icing to finish the cake.
4. The reason you do a very thin coat first on the cake is to seal the cake and to prevent excessive tearing of the cake.
5. For a thin spread you may wipe your palette knife with a warm moist cloth to assist in the spreading.
6. If you like a little spirit in your cake you may make a quick soaking solution:
   1. Take 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water and heat together until the sugar is fully dissolved.
   2. Cool and add your favorite spirit to taste. RUM and Coconut RUM work well here.
   3. Then use a brush to lightly wet the first 3 layers before adding Icing.