Chocolate Carrot Cake With Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

If you like traditional carrot cake - try this chocolate version. Sounds delicious! Recipe is taken from the Cooks of the Green Door cookbook.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 ounces  unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1⁄3 cups unbleached white flour
• 2⁄3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3  eggs, room temperature
• 1 1⁄4 cups honey
• 2⁄3 cup  vegetable oil
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  lemon, zest of, finely grated
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 1 1⁄2 cups carrots, grated

• Frosting

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) package  neufchantel cheese, softened
• 3⁄4 cup honey (or maple syrup)
• 3⁄4 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2  tablespoons instant coffee
• 1  tablespoon Grand Marnier (rum or Creme de Cocoa)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler. Set aside to cool. In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In separate bowl beat eggs. Add honey to eggs and beat until light. Add oil to eggs and beat. Stir in vanilla and lemon zest to egg mixture. Add cooled chocolate and mix well. Stir in buttermilk. Stir in dry ingredients, just until combined. Blend in grated carrots. Butter and flour two 9-inch round or square cake pans. Pour cake batter into prepared pans. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool before removing from pans. Let cake cool completely before frosting.
2. Beat butter in medium bowl. Add cream cheese and beat until very smooth and creamy. Add honey or maple syrup and beat again. Add cocoa, coffee and liqueur. Beat until well combined. Makes enough to fill and frost a 9-inch two-layer cake.