Isabelle's Carrot Cake
Cooling time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients · Servings 16 s
- 375 g (2 1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 10 ml (2 tsp) of baking powder
- 5 ml (1 tsp) of baking soda
- 10 ml (2 tsp) of ground cinnamon
- 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cardamom
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) ground nutmeg
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) of salt
- 250 ml (1 cup) of vegetable oil
- 160 g (3/4 cup) of sugar
- 160 g (3/4 cup) cassonade
- 4 eggs
- 330 g (3 cups) of grated carrots
- 250 ml (1 cup) of crushed, drained pineapple
- 150 g (1 1/2 cups) of toasted, chopped pecans
- 90 g (1 cup) of unsweetened grated coconut
- 375 g (1 1/2 blocks) of cream cheese, softened
- 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 685 g (5 1/4 cups) of icing sugar
- 10 ml (2 tsp) of vanilla extract
- Edible flower petals (optional)
Method · 1 h 50 min
- Place the rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter the sides of two 20 cm (8 in) diameter springform pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.
- In a separate bowl, combine the oil, sugar, brown sugar, and eggs with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the carrots, pineapple, pecans, and coconut. Mix well. Stir in the flour mixture. Divide the batter among the prepared pans.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pans on a wire rack, about 3 hours.
- In a bowl, cream the cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer. On low speed, gradually add the icing sugar and vanilla. Beat for 5 minutes or until the frosting forms stiff peaks, turns white, and is smooth.
- Run a thin blade between the cakes and the molds. Unmold. Cut and remove the tops of the cakes to flatten them. Cut each cake in half horizontally to obtain four slices.
- Place a slice of cake on a serving plate. Top with 125 ml (½ cup) of the frosting. Repeat this step with two more cake slices and finish by stacking the last unfrosted slice on top. Cover the entire cake with a thin layer of frosting and smooth it with an offset spatula. This will help seal in any crumbs. Refrigerate the cake and frosting for 30 minutes.
- Completely cover the cake again with the remaining frosting and smooth it with an offset spatula. Decorate with flower petals. The cake will keep for 3 days under a cake dome at room temperature.
Does freeze? Yes
This carrot cake recipe, featured on the show "Isabelle and Ricardo's Kitchen," is Isabelle's favorite. Its crumb, with its comforting spiced aroma, is soft and moist, just the way we like it. Her secret? Crushed pineapple added to the batter, whose juice helps retain moisture while providing a touch of acidity that brightens the flavors. Pecans and coconut are incorporated into the mixture for a crunchy texture. The cake is topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting for a truly indulgent finish.
