Another birthday cake! There have been 4 family birthdays in the last few weeks so I have been very busy in the kitchen. This one was for brother number 2 last weekend. He loves carrot cake so his birthday cake choice was a no brainer.
It turns out that Hummingbird Bakery triple layer cake recipes, or certainly the carrot cake one, fill a 10 inch ring/bundt tin perfectly! I decided to revisit this recipe after not feeling fully satisfied with the one I made a couple of weeks ago.
I've come to the conclusion that for topping carrot cakes I like a higher quantity of cream cheese in my cream cheese icing. The Hummingbird Bakery's cream cheese icing has a bit too much icing sugar in it for my carrot cake tastes. A different cream cheese icing on top made the world of difference, to me anyway!
I've come to the conclusion that for topping carrot cakes I like a higher quantity of cream cheese in my cream cheese icing. The Hummingbird Bakery's cream cheese icing has a bit too much icing sugar in it for my carrot cake tastes. A different cream cheese icing on top made the world of difference, to me anyway!
I've also come to the conclusion that I prefer walnuts to pecans in carrot cake (despite liking pecans as a nut more) and I like the cake served as a big slab rather than cut into multiple layers. I think it makes more of the rustic texture. I like being able to see the carrot gratings and big chunks of (wal)nuts. Does that make sense?
Who would have thought I'd become such a fussy bugger with carrot cake. What an odd discovery.
Who would have thought I'd become such a fussy bugger with carrot cake. What an odd discovery.
What's your favourite carrot cake recipe? Any other fussy carrot cake eaters out there?
Carrot bundt cake
Cake recipe same as here.
Changes included using walnuts instead of pecans and a 10 inch/ 25.5cm bundt tin instead of three 8 inch/ 20cm cake tins. Grease the tin thoroughly with cake release spray and a dusting of plain flour. Tip any excess flour out into the sink. Bake at the same temperature but extend the baking time to roughly 1 hour until well risen, firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire cooling rack.
cream cheese icing:
100g icing sugar (roughly, I ended up adding a bit more)
175g full fat cream cheese
50g softened butter
a few drops of vanilla extract
Put the icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a bowl and mix together until smooth. Add more icing sugar if you feel the mixture needs thickening or sweetening. Cover the whole (cooled) cake with the icing and decorate with a dusting of ground cinnamon and extra crushed walnuts.
I love carrot cake especially when it's covered in a generous layer of cream cheese frosting! I've tweaked a recipe from my mum which is now my favourite and thi reminds me that I've not baked a carrot cake in a while. I'll have to try it in a bundt tin - looks gorgeous and I'm sure your brother enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, a good layer of cream cheese icing is essential! I look forward to seeing your favourite carrot cake recipe sometime :)
DeleteCarrot cake is one of my favourites and like you I'm fussy. For a classic carrot cake I like no dried fruits and maybe just walnuts along with the carrot. I'm still trying to find a cream cheese icing recipe that actually works as all the recipes that I've tried turn out too runny. This looks wonderful Jo, I could just steal a little slice.
ReplyDeleteI must admit I haven't tried a carrot cake containing dried fruit. That would be fun to try out!
DeleteThe cream cheese icing for this was quite runny, but I've come to accept that's the texture it needs to be for the flavour I want. It's fine for topping a single layer cake like this but I imagine it's not ideal for multiple layers.
Carrot cake is one of my favourites! Mum and me always make the yummy scrummy one from bbc good food with orange and sultanas in but I equally love both bundt cakes and cream cheese icing - I am definitely snagging your recipe! Looks delicious!
ReplyDelete