AMERICAN CARROT CAKE
The recipe can be halved successfully and the cake freezes well.
- 400 g sugar (500 ml sugar)
- 4 extra large eggs
- 350 ml oil (375 ml in original recipe, less is fine)
- 350 g self-raising flour
- 5 ml bicarnonate of soda
- 5 ml cinnamon
- 5 ml salt
- 750 ml carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1 grated Granny Smith apple (optional, makes it very nice)
- 100 g pecan nuts, chopped
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and grease and line 3 x 20 cm tins with parchment paper.
Beat the sugar and eggs until light and creamy, slowly add the oil.
Sift the dry ingredients and fold into the egg mixture.
Add the carrots, apple and nuts and fold in.
Spoon the batter into the 3 greased and lined tins or spoon into cupcake holders.
Bake the cake for 30 – 40 minutes and about 20 minutes for the cupcakes.
Remove from the oven and let the cake cool for about a minute before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Cream cheese topping:
- 100 g butter
- 500 g sifted icing sugar
- 75 g cottage or cream cheese
- 100 g chopped nuts
Cream the butter and add the sugar, beat in until a smooth mixture.
Add enough cream cheese to form a soft icing mixture.
Add some chopped nuts to the icing and mix, keep some for the top.
Spread 1/3 of the icing on 1 layer of cake and top with the second cake.
Spread another 1/3 of the icing over the second cake layer and place the third cake on top.
Add the rest of the icing on the top cake layer and decorate with the rest of the nuts.
Notes:
Makes about ± 40 cupcakes.
Recipe testes and photo: Dunia Van Rensburg McMaster
