HotmailCarrot cake packs plenty of creamy goodness
Raisins and pecans add extra texture to this top-rated Epicurious recipe
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Most-clicked-on carrot cake March 26: Tanya Steel of Epicurious.com makes this popular treat that's topped with cream-cheese frosting and loaded with healthy carrots. Today Show Kitchen |
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Last week, TODAY featured an easy-to-make recipe for old-fashioned macaroni and cheese. This week the editors of Epicurious.com have another traditional treat in store, but one with a sweeter accent: carrot cake. There’s never been a tastier way to eat your carrots.
Makes one three-layer cake (9-inch cake); 12 servings
This triple-layer carrot cake is one of the five most popular recipes of all time on Epicurious, with 800 reviews and a 4-fork rating. The secret ingredients: raisins and pecans, which add a bit of extra texture and crunch to the creamy cake and frosting.
The cake can be made a day or two in advance: Keep it covered in the refrigerator and then serve it cold or at room temperature. Be sure to add the eggs slowly: If you beat them in all at once, the cake won't turn out as smooth. Using lots of vegetable oil will ensure it's nice and moist. And don't be afraid of the carrots! Yes, a whole pound of them sounds like a lot, but they add tons of flavor.
INGREDIENTS
Cake
Frosting
Cake
Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Lightly grease waxed paper. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture. Stir in carrots, chopped pecans and raisins.
Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely. (Can be made one day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.)
Frosting
Using electric mixer, beat all ingredients in medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
Place one cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with 3/4 cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Using icing spatula, spread remaining frosting in decorative swirls over sides and top of cake. (Can be prepared two days ahead; cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)
Serve cake cold or at room temperature.
Special equipment: 3 (9-inch) round cake pans
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