Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese and Orange Frosting

Ingredients

• 10 oz Carrots (About 3–4 medium carrots, finely grated)
• 4 Eggs (Preferably at room temperature)
• 2 cup All-purpose flour
• 2 tsp Baking powder (Heaping, as stated in the spoken instructions)
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• Salt (A pinch)
• 1 cup Sugar (The on-screen text also shows “201,” presumably an illegible gram measurement; the exact value cannot be determined with certainty)
• 200 ml Vegetable oil (The source also indicates ¾ cup + 1 tbsp; the spoken instructions say “just under one cup”)
• Vanilla extract (A splash in the batter; for the frosting, one or two drops or more to taste)
• 1 cup Walnuts (Finely chopped; reserve any extra walnuts for garnish, if available)
• 1 Orange zest (Grated; optional)
• 0.5 tsp Ground nutmeg (Optional)
• 1 tsp Ground cinnamon (Optional)
• 3.5 oz Butter (Softened, for the frosting; also use butter to grease the two pans, amount unspecified)
• 12 oz Cream cheese (Philadelphia or another cream cheese; about 1½ packages. The quantity is for the frosting)
• 1 cup Powdered sugar (For the frosting)
• 0.25 cup Heavy cream (35% fat; optional, to lighten the frosting)
• Orange syrup (Optional, for brushing the layers; the syrup recipe is mentioned as available in the description but is not provided in the material)

Steps

1. 1

   Finely grate the carrots using a fine grater and set them aside.

2. 2

   Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together into a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and mix well, distributing the leavening agents evenly.

3. 3

   Generously butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

4. 4

   Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl. For a lighter cake, beat at medium speed for 3–5 minutes, until the mixture becomes lighter in color and thicker. For moister, denser layers, beat for 1 minute; for a soft, airy texture, beat at low speed for 1–2 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour in the vegetable oil and add a splash of vanilla extract. Mix until smooth.

6. 6

   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in several additions, mixing just until incorporated and avoiding lumps or pockets of flour.

7. 7

   Combine the grated carrots, chopped walnuts, optional orange zest, optional nutmeg, and optional cinnamon in a bowl. Mix to distribute the spices.

8. 8

   Gradually fold the carrot mixture into the batter, mixing as you go to distribute it evenly.

9. 9

   Divide the batter between the two pans; if you have a kitchen scale, use it to make the layers even. Level the batter in the pans.

10. 10

    Bake in a preheated oven at 320°F (160°C) for about 60 minutes. If the pans do not fit on the same rack, arrange them offset on two racks.

11. 11

    For the frosting, place the softened butter in a bowl and beat at medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

12. 12

    Add the cream cheese and one or two drops of vanilla extract, or more to taste. Mix at low speed for 1–2 minutes, just until smooth and homogeneous.

13. 13

    Gradually add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, mixing at low speed for about 1–2 minutes. Once incorporated, increase to medium speed and beat for another minute, until the frosting is light and fluffy. Do not overbeat.

14. 14

    For a lighter frosting, whip the heavy cream in a tall glass at medium speed for 1–2 minutes. Gently fold it into the frosting with a spatula.

15. 15

    When the cakes are baked, let them cool slightly before removing them from the pans.

16. 16

    Place the first layer on a plate and remove the parchment paper. If desired, brush it with orange syrup. Spread some of the frosting evenly over the first layer.

17. 17

    Place the second layer on top. Remove the parchment paper, brush with orange syrup if desired, and spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake.

18. 18

    If you have leftover walnuts, caramelize them and sprinkle them over the cake; the source does not specify the caramelization method.

19. 19

    Refrigerate the cake for at least 4 hours before serving.

Notes

The source does not specify the amount of butter needed to grease the pans. It does not provide the orange syrup recipe or detailed instructions for caramelizing the walnuts. The on-screen sugar quantity appears as “1 cup or 201,” so the gram measurement is uncertain.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• vegetarian
• baked
• special occasion
• with nuts