Velvety Carrot Cake
Description
Homemade treats for tea. Want to experiment with sweet baking? Make a carrot cake with nuts and orange zest – aromatic and delicious. The cake turns out moist thanks to the carrots, which release their juice and natural sweetness, while the taste of carrots is not noticeable in the finished product. The recipe calls for walnuts, but you can substitute them with almonds or hazelnuts. You can either make the cream cheese at home or buy ready-made—choose according to your preference.
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
1. Toast walnuts in a skillet, season with salt, add 20 g of butter, and place in the freezer while preparing the dough. For the dough, beat the eggs with a mixer, gradually add sugar, and continue beating until fluffy.
- 2
Step 2
2. Add vegetable oil, mix with a mixer, then switch to the "hook" attachment. Add sifted flour, baking powder, cinnamon, orange zest, and finely grated carrot.
- 3
Step 3
3. Take the nuts out of the freezer, chop them with a knife, and add to the dough; mix with a spatula. Divide the dough into three parts. Line the bottom of a 22 cm diameter pan with parchment paper.
- 4
Step 4
4. Bake three layers separately in a preheated oven at 170-180 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes. Wrap the layers in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
- 5
Step 5
5. Prepare the frosting: beat the soft butter with a mixer for 2-3 minutes, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth, then add the cream cheese and mix again with the mixer until well combined.
- 6
Step 6
6. Instead of cream cheese, you can strain sour cream mixed with kefir overnight in the refrigerator through a cheesecloth in a colander—this will result in a paste-like mass. Cut thin tops off the cake layers for the crumbs.
- 7
Step 7
7. Assemble the cake: spread the layers, top, and sides of the cake with cream. Decorate with crumbs and nuts. Refrigerate the cake for 3-4 hours.