I love to cook, and I do love to bake, but there is something about the precision of it that requires me to be in a perfect mind set to do the whole thang. Suffice to say, I need a special occasion to make it worthwhile. The end result needs to be satisfying, and ultimately delicious. This cake most certainly is. Carrot cake is by far one of our family favorites, one that everyone goes for second helpings, and even a slice in the morning (I love cake in morning). I think what I love the most about this cake is the cream cheese icing with its secret ingredient: a creamy, citrus, drool-worthy slathering of frosting with a punch of orange zest and extract.
Day to day we don't normally eat desserts, but I love to prepare a special dessert to finish off a great meal, especially when it's a dinner party with friends, or a large family dinner. With the cool weather coming, I felt it was the perfect time to start making this cake for all of our fall gatherings ahead.
One bowl is all you need to make this very easy cake, you decide on how many layers you want.
In the bowl of your mixer, you simply blend all the wet ingredients, and then add the dry.
The fun begins when you stir in the grated carrots, orange zest and orange extract, along with the toasted walnuts (you can also use pecans) and dates (substitution of raisins or currants).
Some helpful tips when making this cake.
Grate the carrots in the food processor, this works best when needing a large batch of carrots for a recipe.
Put the cake in the fridge, wrapped in food wrap to allow it to cool. It is much easier to frost.
Use an oil of your choice - canola or olive oil will work, I used avocado oil.
We hope this becomes a favorite of yours, because it is definitely one of ours.
Enjoy.
Tracy