Tuesdays With Dorie: Bill's Big Carrot Cake

Yum.  I absolutely love this cake.  It's moist and chewy with raisins and coconut and shredded carrots, and the frosting is smooth and creamy...and cream-cheesey...with a nice zing from the lemon juice.   

When I saw that Amanda of slow like honey had chosen Bill's Big Carrot Cake for this week's Tuesdays With Dorie recipe, I was delighted.  I love carrot cake, and so does my husband who, coincidentally, is named Bill.  It was kismet.

I actually made the cake last week (rather than at the last minute on Monday as I'd done with my first two TWD challenges).  My husband brews beer, and several of his beer-brewing squad were coming over last Thursday to brew up about 20+ gallons.  Bill was making spicy fish tacos for lunch, and what better to follow the inferno of a Red Thai Curry Paste (which I have to post here some time - it's so good) than something sweet and moist and soothing.

I made mini cakes because I have 12 mini-springform pans that I haven't used in ages, and this seemed the perfect time to trot them out. 

And, since my mini cakes would be photographed, I decided (and I sort of blame Mari of Mevrouw Cupcake and her girly pink reversable cake plate for this) that I needed some cute interesting little inexpensive plates on which to display my mini cakes and other subsequent baked goods.  So I also went shopping at The Christmas Tree Shop and got as many cute and pretty and interesting little plates as I could carry in the shopping basket.  All I can say is it's a good thing I didn't grab a shopping cart when I walked into the store.  I'd still be washing the price tags off 'em.

Anyway, armed with springform pans and cute plates and a mission to feed a lot of people,  I got out some carrots and started shredding....

The recipe is below, with my own notes typed in italics and embraced by parentheses.

"Bill's Big Carrot Cake"

Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

Yields 10 servings

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon salt

3 c grated carrots (about 9 carrots, you can grate them in food processor fitted w/ a shredding a blade or use a box grater)  (I used a microplane to grate them, and I didn't use all 9 carrots to reach 3 cups.  My kids ate the extras.)

1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans  (I had almost enough pecans, but no walnuts, so I used sliced almonds with the pecans.)

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)

 

½ cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or dried cranberries (I had both dark AND golden, so I used half and half)

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

Getting ready:

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter three 9-x-2-inch round cake pans, flour the insides, and tap out the excess. Put the two pans on one baking sheet and one on another.  (I buttered and floured 12 mini springform pans, but I only ended up using 10 of them.  5 on one baking sheet, 5 on the other.)

To make the cake:

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

In another bowl, stir together the carrots, chopped nuts, coconut, and raisins.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the sugar and oil together on a medium speed until smooth.

Add the eggs one by one and continue to beat until the batter is even smoother.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture, mixing only until the dry ingredients disappear.

Gently mix the chunky ingredients.

Divide the batter among the baking pans.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point, until a thin knife inserted into the centers comes out clean.  The cakes will have just started to come away from the sides of the pans.

Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and unmold them. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up.

The cakes can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.

*I made the cakes last Wednesday night, and then made the frosting and assembled the cakes Thursday morning.

For the Frosting:

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 stick ( 8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 pound or 3 and ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or ½ teaspoon pure lemon extract

½ cup shredded coconut (optional)  (I didn't use this in the frosting)

Finely chopped toasted nuts and/or toasted shredded coconut (optional)  (I did use both of these suggestions - I used toasted slivered almonds and toasted shredded coconut.)

To Make the Frosting:

Working with the stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter together

until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat until the frosting is velvety smooth.  Beat in the lemon juice or extract.

If you'd like coconut in the filling, scoop out about half of the frosting and stir the coconut into this portion.

To Assemble the Cake:

Put one layer top side up on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper.  If you added the coconut to the frosting, use half of the coconut frosting to generously cover the first layer (or cover generously with plain frosting). 

Use an offset spatula or a spoon to smooth the frosting all the way to the edges of the layer.  Top with the second layer, this time placing the cake top side down, and frost with the remainder of the coconut frosting (or more plain frosting).  Top with the last layer, right side up, and frost the top - and the sides, if you want--of the cake.  Finish the top with swirls of frosting.  If you want to top the cake with toasted nuts or coconut, sprinkle them on now, while the frosting is soft.

Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes, just to set the frosting before serving.

I used one of the 3-layer cakes for the guys on brew day.  They were so full from the fish tacos, that they didn't devour the entire thing, which was good news for us.  But what they ate - they LOVED.

And brought the other one over to our friends across the street.  Kathleen raved about it.  On more than one occasion.

My parents and my sister and her husband and two kids got most of the rest.  But not ALL of the rest.

 

I think if I make this cake again (which, you know, I am pretty sure I will...a lot) in the mini springform pans, I'll double the frosting recipe.  Even though the frosting/cake ration per bite was perfect, I still think I would like to see more of it on the cakes.  But that's more a cosmetic urge than a culinary one.

Now go check out what all the other TWD bakers have done with this recipe!

Comments

[rebekka]

I LOVE them! I totally love unfrosted-side cakes, I think they are so cute and old-fashioned. And mini cakes are irresistable! Great job!

[Sarah]

Your mini-cakes are so cute! I love the frilly plate in the front. Great job!

[Di]

I had to laugh at the mental image of you buying plates. I did something similar at IKEA a couple months ago, after I'd seen lots of interesting plates on different blogs. But I'm still on the lookout for more. In particular I'd like to find some cute cups & saucers (I've got some "tea and cookies" pictures in mind). The things that blogging will lead you to do... =)

[Robin]

I love your mini-cakes, they look wonderful, what a great idea!

[Landa]

Wow! You did an amazing job. It all looks amazing.

[Chelle]

Love your pictures, and your finished cake looks incredible!

[kim]

such cute cakes!! they look perfect. i love the plates too :)

[mimi]

love the mini cakes, the sliced almonds on top look great!

[Rebecca]

Aaaaaaaagh! Those little plates, those little cakes! It's an explosion of cuteness.

[Katrina]

I love the little springform pans! Your cakes look great, and now I have plate envy... I need to get some cute plates... - note to self -stop by new homegoods store in neighborhood.

[Heather b]

cute plates and cakes! Great job! Love you pictures!

[Caitlin]

OMG I love the mini cakes - just like in the book, but smaller (and therefore 1000000x cuter)! As for cute inexpensive plates, I've been eyeing CB2 online. There are tons of cute plates, all pretty cheap.

[Carrie]

I just love your mini-plates! So pretty! :)

[CB]

Adorable little cake pans! I totally want those now! Poor thing... you hand grated those carrots? Your knuckles must be hurting! God bless my food processor! LOL. Love your little cakes. Adorable. Great job!
Clara @ I♥food4thought

[mary]

this is so what i would have made if my imagination could have lined up with reality....i love everything about it...from the mismatched plates to the single springform pans to the fluffy frosting!

[Dianne]

I love your mini-cakes! I didn't know they made mini springform pans...I think I need to go shopping! :)

[Kim]

Your little cakes are adorable...i think i may have to go shopping now...i love the little dish in the first picture. SO CUTE!

[MariM]

OMG, I love, love, love the mini spring-form pans! Your cakes (and plates) look just perfect! Well done! Be warned though, food blog propping can get out of hand! Now I have the overwhelming desire to collect fabric swatches, antique napkins, placemats, and such. ;-)

[Melissa]

Adorable!!! By the way, you guessed correctly. The "secret" ingredient is zucchini. I sub it for 1/3 to 1/2 of the carrots. Works like a charm.

[Sihan]

you're seriously married to a guy named Bill? haha.. perhaps u shld consider doing the nipple thingy then. *oops*

Anyway, that's some lovely cakes you have there! lovin' the size!

[Jaime]

your little cakes are so cute!!! i didn't even know they made such a thing as mini springform pans - how cool!

[Kelly]

mini-cakes. I love it. Adorable. You must post the recipe for the red thai curry paste!

[LyB]

I have a feeling, deep down, that's why I took up blogging, to have an excuse to buy kitchen stuff. "But I NEED it, to take pictures, of food!", yep that's pretty much it. Now I NEED some mini springform pans, your cakes are just too gorgeous! Very creative! :)

[Chris]

Those are so cute! I think that first picture is my favorite of the day.

[KN]

Oh, my goodness! I LOVE your mini cakes!! They look so impressive and divine! What a fabulous idea to use those spring-form pans!

[soulafa]

I love those individual carrot cakes they are so cute and so are the mini pans! The pictures are amazing!!

[Andrea]

Your cakes are so gorgeous! After falling in lust with 6 inch pans I now want mini spring forms too! I think my mother in law is starting to suspect I go to Sydney for the kitchen wares! At least they will not take up too much room in the cupboard! (He! He!)

[Anne]

Those look beautiful! I love the mini cakes and they look so cute stacked up. Great job!

[steph (whisk/spoon)]

whoa--love at all those mini pans you have! your cakes look great on your new plates--i am constantly on the look out for new photo props myself.

[Annemarie]

Those cakes look FABULOUS!! I love the plates, too!!

[Shari]

Wow, 12 mini-springform pans! They look great, and I love the plate in the first photo. Great job photographing the process!

[Gretchen Noelle]

These just look adorable. I love the towering three story cakes. I am so envious of your springforms!! Your pictures are wonderful and your finished product - Rave Worthy!

[Cecilia]

These cakes look awesome!!! I love how they're mini ones.

Just so you know, you got some really great plates on your shopping trip. I like the one with fancy, scrolling edges.

[Erin]

I love the way you decorated the mini cake. It was fun to look at pictures of the process!

[Erin]

I love the way you decorated the mini cake. It was fun to look at pictures of the process!

[Donna]

Love your baby cakes! Made me wish I hadn't gotten rid of mine!
You did a fantastic job on these!
I keep nominating you. One of these days!

Oh, and I loved your post with all the fish and especially the roe!

[Liliana]

What a fabulous idea to use the mini spring form pans! Your cakes look divine and I like your little plates. I have one small spring form pan (I thought I had two). Looks like I have to go and buy more!!

[Lori]

wow. Nice job. i love the size, the styling and the pics.

[Cheryl Smith]

They're beautiful! I love your dishes, too.

We have matching KitchenAids! Wonder twin powers....ACTIVATE! ; )

[Jessie Cacciola]

this looks so good -- coconut makes everything taste better!
- Jessie -

[Heather Peskin]

Beautiful presentation and fabulous photography. I just love the mini three tiers cakes.

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[Kiara Jenkins]

Not that every baking recipe should have vanilla extract, but I was still surprised to see that you didn't use any in the cake -- just the frosting. I don't like spreading cream cheese frosting on the sides of layer cakes either, because they don't hold well at room temperature; although, I've found that using a tablespoon of powdered egg whites/meringue powder gives cream cheese frosting great stability when spreading on the sides of cakes.