Sunday, October 24, 2010

Raisin Carrot Cake

One of my favourite cakes has got to be a moist carrot cake with lots of raisin and walnuts in it and not forgetting the topping of cream cheese frosting. To me this cake simply screams simplicity, home-made and family. When I first came down to Singapore a couple of decades ago (gosh has it been that long), I would go shopping on my own and then rest my feet by having a cup of coffee and carrot cake at my then favourite cafe, Dome.

I have tried many different recipes for carrot cakes and most are pretty similar. Some recipes would call for butter whilst others would require vegetable oil. No matter which recipe it was, the cakes always turn out moist. I think it's because of the carrots that keeps the cake crumbs from drying out. This particular recipe which has been adapted from Amy Beh's "Local Favourites" calls for egg whites to be whipped until soft peaks. Now this is something totally different from the methods I have tried in the past and as such I could not resist but try it out. I must say that this particular carrot cake turned out more moist and flavourful than the ones I had made in the past. In fact it is so good that this is the fourth time I am making this cake.

Carrot cake 1


Carrot cake 3


Raisin Carrot Cake
Recipe Adapted from Amy Beh

Ingredients:

150g freshly grated carrots
1 Tbsp orange zest
60g golden raisins
45g chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
185g unsalted butter
150g soft brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
10g castor sugar

Sift together:

185g plain flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Method:

1) Gease sides and line base of 19cm square cake tin with parchment paper.

2) Soak the raisins in the orange juice for 10 mins

3) Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks two at a time, beating each addition well. Add essence and beat until just combined.

4) In another clean and dry metal bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Add castor sugar and continue to whisk until soft peaks.

5) Stir carrots and orange zest into the creamed butter mixture. Add raisin mixture. When combined, carefully fold in the egg whites followed by the dry ingredients in 2 batches.

6) Add the walnuts to batter.

7) Pour into prepared tin and level the surface.

8) Bake in 180C for 40 – 50 mins, or until the cake skewer comes out clean.

9) Cool cake in tin for about 15 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Carrot cake 2


Carrot cake 4

12 comments:

ICook4Fun said...

This carrot cake look very moist. I am the same too. If I see a carrot cake in the menu I will definitely order it. There is something about a healthy cake with sinful cream cheese frosting :)

Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

Oh it's a beautiful cake, Jo. I agree with Gert - the cake looks really moist. And I love your styling ... that first shot with the eggs has such a "farm fresh" appeal! :))

pigpigscorner said...

I would like the whole cake with some vanilla ice-cream pleeeease =)

Edith said...

Carrot cake always been my favouritre! and yours are awesome looking.

Pei-Lin said...

Yea, carrot cakes are always moist, including the one I'd made before! This particular recipe does look different from the regular ones I've been seeing. Thank you for sharing!

Hey! Time sure flies by, right? Imagine twenty years ago when Jo had already set her feet in a foreign land and became independent on her own ... I was still a 3-year-old ... LOL!

Zoe said...

Look very moist and delicious!

busygran said...

I love carrot cake. Yours look good and moist.

tigerfish said...

This is the kind of cake I like for breakfast. With black coffee, this cake fills me up to start the day, happy :)

Bakericious said...

The cake looks moist and delicious. Jo, you are tempting me to bake this cake which I always plan to bake a carrot cake for my husband.

Anonymous said...

I always pair carrot cake with walnuts but haven't tried raisins! Great idea. Thanks for sharing.

Kris Ngoei said...

Just delicious.... this is truly a comfort goodie that fits every occasion....

Sawadee from Bangkok,
Kris

El said...

Luscious and delicious!

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