This carrot cake is soooooo good. It has quickly become my new go-to cake recipe. I baked one this morning to take to my friend A’s holiday party and it was a hit! It’s pretty easy to make and the cake batter produces a really moist and flavorful cake, so it’s hard to screw up. Recipe courtesy of the Rebar cookbook.

Ingredients:

CAKE
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) grated carrots
3/4 (180 ml) crushed pineapple
3/4 (180 ml) cup unsweetened coconut
3/4 (180 ml) cup chopped walnuts
3/4 (180 ml) cup vegetable oil
3/4 (180 ml) cup brown sugar
1/3 (80 ml) cup white sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla
1 1/2 (7.5 ml) cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 (7.5 ml) tsp cinnamon
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
1 tsp (5 ml) baking soda
1/4 tsp (1.2 ml) salt
1 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml) ginger
1/2 tsp (2.5) nutmeg
1/2 tsp (2.5) allspice

ICING
9 oz (270 g) Philadelphia cream cheese (firm block, not spreadable)
1/4 cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla
3 oz (90 g) white chocolate
3 cups (720 ml) icing sugar, sifted

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour two 8 inch round cake pans and set aside.  Combine grated carrot, pineapple, coconut and walnuts in a large bowl.  In a mixing bowl, beat the sugars with the eggs.  Stir in the vanilla and whip on high until the volume has tripled.  On low, pour the oil in slowly to blend in.
2. Combine the dry ingredients and gently stir into the egg mix.  Fold in the carrot mixture.  Divide the batter among the cake pans and smooth the tops.  Bake for 30 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
3. While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting.  Beat the cream cheese on high until smooth and fluffy.  Lightly blend in vanilla and butter.  Melt white chocolate in a double boiler over medium heat.  Add hot melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on high until smooth and fluffy.  Slowly add sifted icing sugar, stopping to scrap down the sides now and then.  Beat on high until all the sugar is well incorporated and the frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
4. Spread the bottom layer of the cake with one third of the frosting, smoothing it evenly to the edges.  Chill 10-15 minutes (**NOTE: it is important to chill it at this point.  The first time I made this cake I skipped this step as I was in a rush, and the weight of the top layer of cake pushed the soft gooey icing out towards the sides, making a mess and leaving my middle layer of icing unevenly distributed**). Place the top layer of cake on and frost the top and the sides as you like.  Store refrigerated where it will keep well for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long!).

Enjoy!

xoxo
Karine