Sunday, February 22, 2015

Carrot Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Since Kurt’s birthday is just a few days before Valentine’s Day, there have been years when there was an overload of sweet treats during that second week of February. This year, it was a little different since Kurt was traveling for work on his birthday. We waited and celebrated both occasions on the 14th. Of course, I questioned him in advance regarding what kind of cake he wanted this year. In early December, I read Alice Medrich’s latest book, Flavor Flours, in which she suggested the New Classic Boston Cream Pie made with corn flour chiffon layers with a rice flour-thickened pastry cream is better than the original wheat flour version. I was sure this was going to be Kurt’s birthday cake because he lives for Boston Cream Pie. Instead, he shocked me by requesting a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I was surprised but delighted to make a carrot cake. My go-to carrot cake recipe has always been the one from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins. It includes walnuts, shredded coconut, and crushed pineapple, and the cream cheese frosting has a little lemon juice in it which I love. I’ve been making that recipe for years and never felt I needed a different approach to carrot cake. But, I decided to try something new this time. Also in Flavor Flours, there’s a Carrot Spice Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting made with rice flour and oat flour that’s touted as being a better-than-ever and gluten-free take on a classic. Now, let me explain, neither of us has any sort of gluten sensitivity, but I do love experimenting with different types of flour to discover new tastes and textures. This carrot cake is completely gluten-free, but, more importantly for me, it’s completely delicious with a delicate crumb. It seems impossible since carrot cake is usually somewhat dense, but even with the walnuts this was a light and crumbly cake. 

It’s very similar to my standard carrot cake recipe in that it’s made with vegetable oil rather than butter, and that’s mixed with sugar and eggs. Rice flour and oat flour were combined with baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. The dry ingredients were mixed into the wet, and then grated carrots and toasted, chopped walnuts were added. Thanks to perfect timing, I had just received a bunch of fresh carrots from our CSA that I shredded for the cake. I baked the cakes in eight-inch round pans and let them cool. For a layer cake, one and a half times the recipe for frosting is needed. The frosting recipe here includes cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla, and I added lemon juice because I can’t give up that detail of my usual carrot cake approach. One thing to keep in mind with this cake is that because it is especially crumbly, it definitely requires a crumb coat of frosting. I scooped some of the frosting from the big bowl in which it was mixed into a smaller bowl to use for the crumb coat. That way, any crumbs from the spatula will only get mixed into the crumb coat frosting and not into the entire batch. Chilling the cake after applying the crumb coat is a good idea since the frosting will set more firmly. Then, the pretty final coat of frosting can be applied.

This version didn’t have the shredded coconut or crushed pineapple that I’ve become used to in a carrot cake, but I liked that leaving them out eliminated some sweetness. Mostly, I really liked the tender, crumbly texture and the flavor from the spices and nutty oat flour. It really was amazingly the opposite of dense given that it was a carrot cake. Kurt was very pleased with his choice as well, and I now have two favorite carrot cake recipes. 

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19 comments:

  1. I haven't baked or had a carrot cake in a really long while. This looks fantastic and perfect for the celebration.

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  2. A fabulous cake! So tempting...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  3. Looks delicious! I know it's not easy to find recipe for a really great carrot cake :)

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  4. Each year I take a spice carrot cake to our friends home for Easter. It is similar to your original recipe. A little version like this one might be perfect for this big meal.

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  5. What a great cake to celebrate his Birthday! Really awesome choice!

    like you, I have no gluten sensitivities but have been exploring the world of exotic flours - more in the bread department, and I tell you, that IS very tricky. Haven't yet hit gold, but some recipes are better than others....

    if you bake gluten-free bread and find a keeper, I hope you blog about it or maybe send me a little email? ;-)

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  6. My go-to carrot cake recipe is from the New Basics, too! But I'm certainly willing to eat lots of slices of your coconut and pineapple free version. I think I'd like the lighter crumb for a change---I don't discriminate when it comes to this dessert :)

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  7. Carrot cake is one of my favorites! i love that this is made with better-for-you flours...it's stunning!

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  8. i don't know if i could part with coconut and pineapple in my carrot cake, but i must admit that this one looks and sounds tasty!

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  9. I just purchased Flavor Flours and can't wait to begin baking! Great minds must think alike as the first chapter I've read is Oats! LOL

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  10. We haven't made the carrot cake in New Basics, but others have recommended that. Need to check it out. Particularly since I haven't had carrot cake in ages. This recipe looks good, too. Thanks for this.

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  11. My birthday is the 17th, so it gets clumped together with Valentine's Day too. Fine by me! This spice carrot cake looks just beautiful : )

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  12. I saw some Boston Cream pie cupcakes on Pinterest recently...bet your husband would live those!
    I've only made one carrot cake in my life and it was my MIL's recipe. Nothing wrong with it, just boring. Would love to try this spice version. It's a beautiful cake, Lisa. Fun to try other flours, I agree, nobody in my family needs gluten free either, but I still love to taste the flavors. Tried some coconut flour things lately, kind of tricky, have them in drafts for later.

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  13. Hi Lisa:)
    I think it's wonderful that you asked your husband which he preferred and he chose Carrot Cake. I too have a go to recipe but have been recently experimenting with different flours for my grandson because he is on a rather tricky elimination diet. My daughter is about to pull out her hair!

    I'll be pinning this recipe and sharing it with her. I think she could use this recipe as a guideline for Noah minus the cream cheese frosting. I think she mentioned that book to me but I'll mention it anyway just in case.

    Your carrot cake looks lovely Lisa. I really would love to taste it. I'm usually set on having pineapple in my carrot cake but I have a feeling with these flours the pineapple wouldn't work. That's okay though because oh my how happy Noah would be if he could enjoy it!

    Thank you so much for sharing, Lisa...

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  14. I loooooove carrot cake and this one looks ah-mazing! Wish you could share a slice with me :)

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  15. omg... I love carrot cakes! Looks delicious!

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  16. This recipe sounds like a dream! I love carrot cakes, but the idea of making one that's a little less dense is perfect. Can't wait to try this recipe.

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  17. Happy birthday to Kurt. This is definitely my kind of cake and I do love how you frosted it - gorgeous xx

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  18. Lisa I love carrot cake and this look georgeous!:)

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  19. ow, wha t a classic carrot cake, Simply damn delicious!!!
    Dedy@Dentist Chef

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