Spiced Carrot Cake (Cook's Illustrated)

"This recipe is a hybrid of Spice Cake and Spiced Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Cook's Illustrated. The stronger spices make this simple carrot cake much more intriguing. The cardamom really brings the frosting to life. Cooking/Prep times do not include 2-hour cooling period. Nuts and raisins are listed as optional, but the cake is much better with them. If you decide to add both nuts and raisins, add 10-12 minutes to the cooking time."
 
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Ready In:
1hr 10mins
Ingredients:
25
Serves:
16
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ingredients

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directions

  • Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Lightly flour pan.
  • Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices together in large bowl and set aside.
  • Mixer method: Shred carrots on large holes of box grater or use food processor (you should have about 3 cups); transfer carrots to bowl and set aside. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil). Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Mix in carrots. Mix in flour-spice mixture by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. If you want nuts or raisins or both, mix them in by hand.
  • Scrape batter into prepared pan, smooth top with rubber spatula, and gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Bake cake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours.
  • Mix cream cheese with sour cream, butter, sugar, and spices. Spread frosting evenly over cake and serve. Cake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>I like to cook.</p> <p>Surprise.&nbsp; Who'd have expected that on a cooking website?&nbsp;</p> <p>Cooking, like any art, is about joy and self-expression.&nbsp; When you make something that others enjoy, and they get it, you feel a connection with them.&nbsp; When you create something new, you're filled with a sense of accomplishment.&nbsp; If you're not joyful, then you're not doing it right.&nbsp; Follow your passion, and it will always lead you in the right direction.&nbsp;</p> <p>The term chef isn't really accurate when applied to me. I never went to the Cordon Bleu nor studied at C.I.A.&nbsp; I'm someone who cooks as a hobbiest.&nbsp; If it tastes good, I eat it.&nbsp; If it's bad, it goes in the garbage. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>I am a fan of the older cookbooks by James Beard and Robert C. Ackart, and I have to admit that their influence has been very formative of my tastes.&nbsp; It is my fond hope that by posting some recipes from their excellent books that their dishes will continue to be of interest to fellow cooks in the future, both young and old, rather than perishing in obscurity.&nbsp; I like a satisfying casserole more than anything, hand-made loaves of freshly baked bread, cooking with wines and liqueurs, but I am also very fond of elegant desserts, and some of my very favorites appear here on this website.&nbsp;</p> <p>Slowly, as I make them, I will add photographs of the dishes since a picture is worth a thousand words.&nbsp; I want to apologize in advance for the quality of the photos, however, as I'm not a gifted photographer, and many of the dishes will appear unappetizing, but they are actually very good.&nbsp;</p> <p>Here are some of my favorite cookbooks that I have drawn a great deal of guidance and inspiration from over the years, and I sincerely hope that others will find copies of these older but substantial books through venues like Ebay, Half.com and Amazon and get as much satisfaction from them as I have.&nbsp; The recipes that I post from these books have been improved upon with my own ideas, so as not to violate any copyrights. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Ackart, Robert.&nbsp; <span>Cooking in a Casserole</span>. &nbsp;</p> <p>Ackart, Robert.&nbsp; <span>The One-Dish Cookbook</span>. &nbsp;</p> <p>Ackart, Robert.&nbsp; <span>A Celebration of Soups</span>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Beard, James.&nbsp; <span>The New James Beard</span>. &nbsp;</p> <p>Beard, James.&nbsp; <span>Beard on Bread</span>.&nbsp;</p> <p>Ruhlman, Michael.&nbsp; <span>Ratio</span>. &nbsp;</p> <p><span>Cook's Illustrated Cookbook</span>.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I hope that some of these recipes find their way into your stomach and your heart.&nbsp;</p> <p>Enjoy.&nbsp;</p>
 
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