SALLY'S CARROT CAKE, SLIGHTLY TWEAKED

Sally's Carrot Cake, Slightly Tweaked

As this horrible pandemic drags on here in Malaysia - unlike some other lucky countries, we're still battling new cases and pretty much in lockdown - I've been ordering all my groceries online. It's a long, tedious process. First I head to my Mac and the website, click on all the items that don't have OUT OF STOCK plastered across them, choose quantities, ORDER AND PAY. Then wait for the string of WhatsApps telling me that some of what I ordered is also OUT OF STOCK and wait for the photos they send me of potential substitutes. I did this on Saturday. I started at 10am and finally finished, going backwards and forwards, by 5pm. My mood was NOT the best by the end of the day. Mike took one look at me and went into hiding. The carrots looked especially nice online so I ordered a bunch of those, only to discover, as I was washing everything and putting it all away, that I already had a drawerful of (insert foul swear word here) carrots. Now, nothing lasts long here in the tropics, even in the fridge, so what was I to do? Of course! Ding!!! 💡 Make carrot cake! I love baking as you know but I'd never made carrot cake before and since it's one of Mike's favourites I thought, peace offering. What's the worst thing that can happen?? Well the result didn't look as spectacular as the one on www.sallysbakingaddiction.com. For one thing, I didn't have two cake tins the same size so my bottom layer is slightly bigger, making my cake slightly wonky, but it tasted amazing so, thanks Sally. My forgotten carrots thank you too. ❤️

INGREDIENTS

2 cups (260g) chopped pecans and/or walnuts

1 1/2 cups (300g) soft light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

1 cup (240ml) sunflower oil

4 large eggs

3/4 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups (312g) plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground ginger

2 cups (260g) peeled, grated carrots (about 4 fairly large ones)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

16oz (240g) full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

4 1/3 cups (500g) icing sugar

1 tbsp cream

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

METHOD

Preheat oven to 300F/150C.

Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.

Spread the chopped pecans/walnuts on the sheet and toast for about 8 or 9 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Turn oven up to 350F/180C.

Grease 2 x 9 inch cake tins with removable bottoms and line with baking paper. Then, grease the baking paper. (This cake is so moist, this helps to release the cakes seamlessly from the tins.)

Whisk the 2 sugars, oil, eggs, applesauce (I made my own by the way) and vanilla extract in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. It should be well combined without clumps of sugar.

In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and spices together.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a rubber spatula until no flour is visible.

Now, fold in the grated carrots and 1 cup of the toasted nuts. (The rest are for garnish.)

Pour or spoon the batter evenly into the cake tins and bake for about 45 - 50 minutes or until a long toothpick inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Do not over bake. Set the tins on a wire rack and allow the cakes to cool completely. DO NOT even attempt to remove them from the tins until completely cooled.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING:

In a large bowl using a hand held mixer, or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and butter together on medium high speed for about 2 minutes. Add the icing sugar, cream, vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for about 30 seconds and then increase speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined. The frosting should be lovely and smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE:

Turn first cake upside down onto your cake plate and, with a palette knife, spread frosting on the top of the cake which is flat. Place your second cake, right side up, on top of the frosted surface and use the rest of the frosting to coat the top and sides.

Scatter remaining toasted pecans/walnuts on the top.

Refrigerate for at least 15 - 20 minutes before serving. This will help the cake keep its shape.

This beautifully moist cake will keep in the fridge for about five days.