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Spicy Carrot Cake

 

Spicy Carrot Cake

This cake is one of my husband’s absolute favorites. It’s moist, nutty, and packed with warm and fragrant spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and fresh ginger. From the very first bite you can taste the silky-smooth, sweet cream cheese frosting, and we all know that a good frosting is the best part of any cake!
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Allergens: Egg, Milk, Tree Nuts, Wheat
  • Servings: 16

Ingredients

  • 2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups carrots (grated)
  • 2 crushed pineapple (well drained)
  • 1 1/2 cup crushed walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (finely grated)
  • 4 oz baby carrot food or carrot puree
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups whipping cream
  • 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup crushed walnuts
  • Cayenne pepper (for dusting)

Instructions

The Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans and line bottoms with parchment or wax paper.

  3. Butter paper and dust with flour.

  4. In medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Set aside.

  5. In large bowl, beat oil, both kinds of sugars, carrot puree, ginger, and vanilla extract until smooth (about 2 minutes).

  6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one.

  7. Incorporate flour mixture into liquid ingredients in 2 additions.

  8. Gently fold in carrots, pineapple, and nuts. Take care not to over-mix!

  9. Divide batter between 2 cake pans and bake until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean (about 50 minutes).

  10. Remove cakes from oven, place pans on wire rack, and let cool for 10 minutes.

  11. Run knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto cooling rack, then let cool completely.

The Frosting

  1. While cakes are cooling, beat cream until soft peaks form. Set aside.

  2. In large bowl, ad cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and beat until smooth and creamy (about 3-5 minutes).

  3. Fold in whipped cream in 3 additions, then refrigerate until ready to use.

The Cake & The Frosting

  1. Place one cake layer on cake platter.

  2. Spread 1 cup frosting over top of cake, then place with second cake on top of that.

  3. Spread remaining frosting over top of second cake and sides of both.

  4. Sprinkle top and sides with crushed walnuts.
  5. Lightly dust with cayenne pepper and serve.

Bon appétit!