February 7, 2010: 14 KT Cake

If I had hosted a party to celebrate today's football madness, i.e. the Super Bowl, I might have served this this All-American favorite for dessert: Carrot Cake. Sweet and dense; moist and full of texture, it's perfectly complemented with a sublime cream cheese frosting (that isn't cloying sweet). I found the cake recipe in the Chicago Tribune way back in the seventies. The frosting is from the Dessert Queen herself, Maida Heatter. I'm inspired to experiment using whole wheat flour in lieu of the white flour. Ill put that on my to-do list. I think the nutty texture of the whole wheat might be a good match, as well as making it a healthier indulgence. I'll let you know how it goes.

CARROT CAKE

1 1/2 oil, such as safflower
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 t ground cinnamon
1 13 1/2 ounce can crushed pineapple, well-drained
2 cups shredded carrots
1 7 ounce package flaked coconut
2 cups sifted flour
2 t baking soda
1 t sea salt
1 cup chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar into the oil. Beat in the eggs, vanilla extract and cinnamon. Stir in the drained pineapple, shredded carrots and coconut, until thoroughly blended. Stir in 1 cup flour, baking soda and salt. Then stir in the rest of the flour. Fold in the optional nuts and raisins. Turn the batter into 2 buttered 9-inch round baking pans. (You may also want to line the bottoms of the pans with waxed paper, then dust the buttered pans with dry bread crumbs before adding the batter.) Bake for 50 to 60 minutes on the middle rake of your oven, or until a toothpick comes out dry and clean. Take the cakes out of oven and let them rest in their pans for about 5 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to finish cooling.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
From Maida Heatter's "Book of Great American Desserts"

16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 ounces butter, at room temperature
1 t vanilla extract
2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. On low speed, add the vanilla and confectioners sugar. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat the frosting on high speed until smooth. This will be more than an ample amount to fill and frost a double layer cake.