Carrot & Walnut Cake

Nearly a year later and I still can't cut a bloody cake in half!

Hi there stranger!

Long time no speak! (or type I suppose..)

I haven't actually blogged for nearly a year, completely insane- but I've been in a whirlwind transformation from dirt poor student to a full-time Junior Baker. The hours have been long and brutal and we work long into the night baking artisan breads but it's all amazing experience and has been pretty damn fun.

So yes, I've been pretty run-down with the night shifts, the long hours started to take it out on my back and basically entire body so i felt a bit like an ill-oiled tin man, (still a happy tin man though!) but believe it or not, i've only just got used to it (after 8 months!) so i thought some blogging was in order, now that i can move my arms :D

It's been a while since i've done all this malarkey so you'll have to bear with me whilst i warm up again.

I thought i'd start off with something that was familiar yet unfamiliar ground. 

A cake. A cake I can do. Yes. 

BUT! I've never baked this kinda cake, since I've only just been introduced to the deliciousness that is a traditional carrot cake! I thought I'd add walnuts to this recipe just to add some crunch and texture. I WAS going to put in orange zest into the cream cheese frosting as well for some tang, but the zest I grated kinda turned into juice so that didn't happen. But by all means, if your oranges play ball then zest it up!

The recipe I've created is adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery "Carrot & Ginger Cake". 

(I can now all hear you saying "What?! That sounds way better! Screw this! Get me that Hummingbird book!") Cheers guys.

Oh! and the cream cheese frosting is a recipe from Tea with Bea, it's one that I will forever use, as it's so much lighter than normal american, not too sweet and just the right amount of fluffiness ^_^ I used it before on my last red velvet cake I made (A revision of this cake is yet to come! Well, at least hopefully an improvement).

I'll tell you now, that the cake was pretty amazing. It's even one of those that gets better with age, tastes better the day after you've made it! So if you ever make this for a party, for dinner, or just because you fancy a whole 8 inch cake to yourself, I'd say make the cake the day before, and frost the day you cut it. The cake is incredibly moist and just the right amount of denseness you want from a carrot cake. Sweet and slightly spiced with a smooth and airy cream cheese frosting just to send it on it's way. 

PRITTY DELISH.

Carrot & Walnut Cake

You'll need: 

20cm / 8 inch round deep-fill cake tin (I use one tin for cakes now because I like the even flat layering you get when you cut it)

OR if you find it easier:

2 x 20cm / 8 inch round regular cake tins (you'll just need to half the baking time and switch the tins round halfway through)

- 350g carrot (grated)

- 40ml buttermilk 

- 3 large eggs

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 125ml vegetable oil

- 210g caster sugar

- 260g plain flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 tsp cinnamon

- 100g walnuts (chopped) (save some for decoration)

Frosting (from Tea with Bea):

- 250ml whipping cream (very cold)

- 175g mascarpone

- 175g cream cheese

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

- zest of 1 orange (optional)

Here we go!

1) Preheat oven to 170C (325F) and line your cake tin(s) with baking paper.

2) Using an electric mixer or electric hand whisk, mix together the carrots, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract, vegetable oil and sugar until well combined.

3) Sift together flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon. Slowly beat this into the carrot mixture in 3 additions, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl after adding. Stir in most of the chopped walnuts until the batter looks pretty smooth and even.

4) Pour cake batter in tin(s) and bake for about 1 hour 10 mins or until the cake bounces back when lightly pressed. (after the first 30 mins, I covered the top of mine with baking paper to stop the top from catching and browning anymore, you won't need to do this if you are using 2 regular sandwich tins, just remember to bake them for half the time- about 30 mins) 

5) Allow cakes to cool completely on wire rack (or upside-down utensil holder in my case :P) Meanwhile, you can get started on the frosting.

6) Whisk the cold whipping cream until it's reached a stiff peak consistency. In a separate bowl, mix together the rest of the frosting ingredients until well combined.

7) In 3 parts, fold in the whipping cream into the cream cheese mix until evenly distributed. Chill for 15 mins (or for however long it takes for the cake to cool down)

8) WHEN THE CAKE IS COOL. Cut cake in half, (if you used a single cake tin). Sandwich cakes together with frosting and frost the outside (try and use all the frosting, the cake really benefits from it!) Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and the rest of the chopped walnuts.

9) Do celebration dance and pound cake into your face. (MUST REMEMBER!)

I HOPE YOU LIKED IT AS MUCH AS I DID (oops caps)... I totally just shouted at you through my computer...