Shelly's Recipe

CARROT CAKE WITH ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Category: Cakes

Cake:
Olive oil for the pans
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup olive oil, not extra virgin
2 cups flour, sifted
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/2 lb carrots (8 to 10 medium), peeled and cut in 1-inch
chunks
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, cooled, and finely chopped by ulsing in a food processor
1/4 cup dark rum

Frosting:
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, somewhat softened
1/2 cup honey
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cake: Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 350. Oil 2 (9 inch) cake pans with olive oil, line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper, and oil the paper.

Put both sugars and the olive oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and salt, mix well, and set aside.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the carrots until they are in tiny pieces, scraping down the sides of the bowl, about 25 seconds. Measure 3 cups of carrots and set aside.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork, stir in the vanilla, and set aside.

Beat the sugar mixture on low until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl once, 2 to 3 minutes (it will look like wet sand). Continuing on low speed, gradually mix in half the dry ingredients.

Add the remaining dry ingredients in 3 or 4 additions, alternating with the egg mixture, and ending with the dry; scrape the sides of the bowl once or twice.

Stir in the carrots, pecans, and rum, scraping the sides of the bowl once. Let the batter sit for 15 minutes.

The last additions -- carrots, pecans, and rum. Let the batter rest so the flavors can permeate it.

Divide the batter between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool them in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a paring knife around the inside edge to release the cakes.

With the help of a second rack, turn each pan over so the bottom faces up, remove the pan, and carefully peel off and discard the paper liner. Using the racks again, flip each layer over so the top faces up again. Let cool completely.

Frosting: When the layers are cool, put the cream cheese, honey, and orange zest in the bowl and whip on high until smooth and light, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the cream and whip on medium, scraping the sides of the bowl, just until you see tracks from the whip or beaters, 1 to 2 minutes.

To frost the cake: Set one cake layer on a cardboard base and spread it evenly with about one-third of the rosting.

Set the second layer on top and cover the top smoothly (or with little swirls) with about one-third more of the frosting. Coat the sides evenly with a very thin layer of frosting, and then use what remains to finish the sides with a second coat.

Refrigerate the cake for several hours. This firms up the frosting and mellows the flavors but give it some time at room temperature before serving to take off the chill.