CARROT CAKE or CARROT MUFFINS
By:
EVOO Cookbook
Nothing like a good carrot cake. This one went to Alaska with Chef Bob when he was the chef at the fishing lodge in the summer on the Alagnak river. Very popular with the guests, especially with the cream cheese icing when served as dessert. However this recipe makes up a great batch of muffins to eat as is (no frosting) in the morning.
The carrots should be fresh as you can get and sweet. We find that buying carrots with tops attached is a good way to tell freshness; and as soon as we get home we remove the green tops, so they don’t pull all the sweet flavor out of the root end, the carrot.
This is the recipe we used minus the nuts and raisins for a small September wedding reception in Cannon Beach.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounces eggs ( about 5-6 large eggs)
- 8 ounces non-GMO canola oil or grapeseed oil
- 8 ounces brown sugar
- 8 ounces sugar
- 12 ounces all-purpose flour, or gluten free as needed
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 ounces walnuts, or other nut (even pepita seeds)
- 3 ounces raisins, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon each lemon and orange zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pound carrots, shredded
Method:
This recipe is one that has been reduced from a large batch. Ingredients are given mostly in weights, and that is the way they should be measured, if possible.
Combine egg in mixing bowl of stand mixer and beat on medium speed to blend whites and yolks. Add the oil and blend. Add both sugars and blend. Add vanilla, and pineapple, if using.
In separate bowl, blend dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg). When dry ingredients are well blended together, add the grated carrots, nuts, if using , and raisins, if using, to carefully coat them well in the flour mixture. Add this carrot mixture to the egg mixture and mix by hand, not the mixer, so you do not over mix while the flour is incorporated. Be careful not to over mix.
Grease/flour pans, filling 3/4 up the sides. For cake pans greased the bottom and lined it with circle of parchment; grease the top of the paper. For muffin pans, cupcake papers may be use without greasing the cupcake pan.
Bake at 350 F for approximately 15-20 minutes for cupcakes and 25-35 minutes for cake; tap the center of the cake lightly and it should spring back. Or toothpick in center comes out clean. *you may also use cupcake pans and use paper liners.
Cool on rack outside the oven 15 minutes before attempting to remove cake from the cake pans. Use a knife around outside edges to loosing since spices were note greased.
For cupcakes, remove cupcakes right out of the oven if using cupcake papers. Cool on rack until completely cool before frosting.
Chef’s Note: If you like pineapple in carrot cake, use 1/2 cup well-drained crushed pineapple added to the wet ingredients.
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