A Very Good Carrot Cake.
13x9 oblong
or
10 inch tube
400/375F (metal/glass)
40-60 minutes (13x9/10 inch tube
Full size (7 cup or larger) Food Processor
Steel Knife "S" blade
Level of difficulty: Not complicated.
Spray pan of choice with non-stick spray, then flour generously. (or use a 2-in-1 spray), set aside.
2 cups white sugar
4 "large" eggs
1 cup mild oil (I prefer corn oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla exract
1 pound carrots, rinsed, topped, and tailed. No need to peel. Cut into random chunks, no larger than 1 inch.
2 cups all purpose flour (stir-spoon-sweep method of measuring.) [I have used Gold Medal, or King Arthur, but always unbleached.]
1 1/2- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Several gratings of nutmeg
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
(Combine these ingredients and set aside)
In full size processor, with Steel Knife, blend the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla till smooth, and uniformly yellow. Better to overbeat here than later. Stop, uncover, and scrape workbowl with a rubber spatula.
Re-cover work bowl, turn motor back on. Through feed tube, with motor running, add a few chunks of carrot, letting time elapse between additions. When all carrot chunks are in, whirl for 45-60 more seconds. Stop, uncover, and scrape again.
Now, with workbowl uncovered, put the dry mixture fairly evenly over the wet ingredients. Recover workbowl, and pulse 3-4 times, until dry ingredients are thorougly incoprorated, but don't pulse too long.
Stop, uncover workbowl. Very carefully pour batter into prepared pan, scrape bowl with rubber scraper.
Bake in preheated 400/375 F oven for 45(13x9) or 60 minutes (10 inch tube). Start checking about 10 minutes before the suggested times. Some ovens in dire need of recalibration take up to 20 minutes longer. Follow the doneness tests in the next paragraph!
Toothpick test is reliable. Clean toothpick should emerge clean from the cake. Cake will smell wonderful, be well browned, and start to shrink from sides.
Let cool in pan on rack at least one hour. If using the tube pan, unmold, and turn right side up.
Now for the matter of frosting.
I HATE cream cheese frosting. Depending on my mood, et cetera, I might just sprinkle on some powdered (icing) sugar, and let it go at that.
Today, I used an orange glaze...powdered sugar, shredded orange peel, and some orange juice.
Enjoy.
I am told that this freezes well. I wouldn't know about that. I am also told that it can be made with Egg Beaters egg substitute. I have no idea about that, either.
I do know that it keeps nicely at room temperature (without cream cheese or sour cream frostings), or in the refrigerator, (if you do use a cream cheese or sour cream frosting), both well covered.
At community and church potlucks, people ask me if I have brought it, and seem dismayed when I don't.
I usually use the 13x9, particularly if I am taking it somewhere. I don't like it in Bundt pan, though it might be nice in a square tube pan.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
13x9 oblong
or
10 inch tube
400/375F (metal/glass)
40-60 minutes (13x9/10 inch tube
Full size (7 cup or larger) Food Processor
Steel Knife "S" blade
Level of difficulty: Not complicated.
Spray pan of choice with non-stick spray, then flour generously. (or use a 2-in-1 spray), set aside.
2 cups white sugar
4 "large" eggs
1 cup mild oil (I prefer corn oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla exract
1 pound carrots, rinsed, topped, and tailed. No need to peel. Cut into random chunks, no larger than 1 inch.
2 cups all purpose flour (stir-spoon-sweep method of measuring.) [I have used Gold Medal, or King Arthur, but always unbleached.]
1 1/2- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Several gratings of nutmeg
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 Teaspoon baking soda
(Combine these ingredients and set aside)
In full size processor, with Steel Knife, blend the sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla till smooth, and uniformly yellow. Better to overbeat here than later. Stop, uncover, and scrape workbowl with a rubber spatula.
Re-cover work bowl, turn motor back on. Through feed tube, with motor running, add a few chunks of carrot, letting time elapse between additions. When all carrot chunks are in, whirl for 45-60 more seconds. Stop, uncover, and scrape again.
Now, with workbowl uncovered, put the dry mixture fairly evenly over the wet ingredients. Recover workbowl, and pulse 3-4 times, until dry ingredients are thorougly incoprorated, but don't pulse too long.
Stop, uncover workbowl. Very carefully pour batter into prepared pan, scrape bowl with rubber scraper.
Bake in preheated 400/375 F oven for 45(13x9) or 60 minutes (10 inch tube). Start checking about 10 minutes before the suggested times. Some ovens in dire need of recalibration take up to 20 minutes longer. Follow the doneness tests in the next paragraph!
Toothpick test is reliable. Clean toothpick should emerge clean from the cake. Cake will smell wonderful, be well browned, and start to shrink from sides.
Let cool in pan on rack at least one hour. If using the tube pan, unmold, and turn right side up.
Now for the matter of frosting.
I HATE cream cheese frosting. Depending on my mood, et cetera, I might just sprinkle on some powdered (icing) sugar, and let it go at that.
Today, I used an orange glaze...powdered sugar, shredded orange peel, and some orange juice.
Enjoy.
I am told that this freezes well. I wouldn't know about that. I am also told that it can be made with Egg Beaters egg substitute. I have no idea about that, either.
I do know that it keeps nicely at room temperature (without cream cheese or sour cream frostings), or in the refrigerator, (if you do use a cream cheese or sour cream frosting), both well covered.
At community and church potlucks, people ask me if I have brought it, and seem dismayed when I don't.
I usually use the 13x9, particularly if I am taking it somewhere. I don't like it in Bundt pan, though it might be nice in a square tube pan.
Lawrence/Maytagbear
