Carrot Cake

Name: Carrot Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 3 h 20 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 350g all-purpose flour; 1 packet baking powder; 2 level teaspoons baking soda; 2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 5 eggs; 250g sugar; 1 packet vanilla sugar; 150ml buttermilk; 200ml oil; 400g carrots; 110g walnuts chopped with a knife; mascarpone frosting; 750g mascarpone cheese; 150g butter at room temperature; 150g powdered sugar; 1 small lemon; ground walnuts

November 12, 2013

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Yoohoo, I've started making cakes! Actually, let me not get too ahead of myself, it's just one cake for now. Despite some assembly difficulties (from lack of experience), it turned out quite impressive. I could have trimmed the "belly" of the cake to make the top layer as even and flat as those at the bottom, and the walnuts could have been lightly toasted in the oven to prevent oxidation (they were fresh walnuts from this year). Otherwise, I was very, very satisfied with the result. The cake came out fluffy and soft, like it's been soaked in syrup, and the frosting is smooth with a light citrus aroma. A successful combination!

The recipe is from a lady from Baia-Mare (unfortunately I don't know her name) who gave the recipe to my aunt, who gave it to my mother and finally it reached me. See how well things work out and good recipes invariably reach me and consequently you?!

Ingredients

350g all-purpose flour
1 packet baking powder
2 level teaspoons baking soda
2 level teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

5 eggs
250g sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
150ml buttermilk
200ml oil
400g carrots
110g walnuts chopped with a knife

Mascarpone Frosting

750g mascarpone cheese
150g butter at room temperature
150g powdered sugar
1 small lemon
ground walnuts

Servings: 16

How to prepare carrot cake

Mix all the dry ingredients, from flour to salt (inclusive).
Chop the walnuts with a knife. Grate the carrots.
Put the eggs in a bowl together with the sugar. Mix with a mixer for a few minutes until you get a foamy, pale yellow mixture whose volume has greatly increased.
Add the buttermilk and oil and mix briefly until incorporated.
Add the carrots and walnuts and mix gently, with a spatula, from bottom to top.
Add the dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing the same way, gently, from bottom to top, with a folding motion. Mix gently until the batter is homogeneous.
Pour the batter into a round springform pan (26 cm diameter), lined with parchment paper on the bottom and with the sides greased with butter.
Bake the cake at 180°C for 45 minutes. Do the toothpick test and if it doesn't come out clean, leave the cake at 150°C for another 10-15 minutes, until the toothpick comes out dry.
Let the cake cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Mix the butter with the powdered sugar for 4-5 minutes, until you can't feel the sugar anymore. Add the mascarpone cheese, lemon zest and juice. Mix for 1 minute until homogeneous. Refrigerate the frosting until you need it.
Cut the cooled cake into 3 equal layers. Place the first layer (the bottom one) on a platter. Spread the layer evenly with 5 tablespoons of frosting. Place the second layer on top. Spread the second layer with 5 tablespoons of frosting. Place the last layer on top. Cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle with ground walnuts.
Refrigerate the cake for several hours, so it cools well and the frosting firms up.