(13) Carrot Cake - now u won't feel guilty eating 2 slices at one go!!

I've actually composed this entry since last week, but the connection wasn't stable at the time of posting, hence a delayed entry then!

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Me never been a fan of carrot cake, well at least not until I had the first slice recently given by my baker friend Farra. Her version of carrot cake tastes really good, when I say good I seriously meant it. Before this I had eaten the one from SR, also few other different version given by friends and colleagues, but none really taste pleasing to my taste bud. Hence explained why I never have the interest to bake one for my family (read: myself). But Farra’s version (I’d say sifu of carrot cakes since she has made loads of carrot cakes before, mmg hantu carrot lah!!) has finally change my perception towards this kind of cake, it made me can’t wait to go to Yummie to do my very first walnut shopping!

Now before you decide to bake this cake, let me warn you.

This wonderful cake takes a little bit of extra preparation. Few works of chopping and grating, which to some it may sound rather easy but it took me like forever ok! After done with half stick of the first carrot I was like ‘goshhh why am I doing this’ and ‘iskkk I wish I can just bunk this carrot inside the blender and let the machine do its works!’…err things like that…sambil grate sambil membebel non-stop :p While doing the grating thingy I keep on thinking ‘there must be some specific techniques required to grate your carrots very quickly’ but I just couldn’t figure.

Pity me huh?

So now you’re done with your carrots. Don’t be too happy coz you have few other things awaiting! Haha
Chop the walnuts (manually of course), also the raisin! I’d say I’m quite well at doing these, probably because I’ve done lots of practicing before. Not the walnuts n raisins ya, I mean something else :p

Sunmaid raisins

Now we have everything under one roof, notice how colorful the batter was? When stirring the batter I kept on thanking myself for making the decision to bake this cake…simply bec it looks so healthy!!! (with loads of carrots mind you ehem ehemm!).

Ok my cake is done. Baking time around 40-45min, depends on your oven temperature. Pretty dull and plain isn’t it? but don’t judge a cake by its outer look, belum cuba belum tahu ngeh ngeh :p

So here goes the final result, after smoothing the cake with the scrumptious cream cheese. Now it doesn’t look that plain isn’t it?

I always love rustic-looking cakes. But mine obviously needs more practice. It appears quite comot and doesn’t represent any theme huhu

different angle..still appearing comot tskkk

I asked hb ‘which one do you like brownie or this? he said this. then I said how about between devils choc and this? he said both taste good, of about the same par only that they came from different league..susah nak compare”. Haha that sounds good enough for me..saya sgt hepi!!

Oklah enough the rambling, let’s check out the recipe. Thanx a lot Farra for sharing this wonderful recipe…I lap u beb!!!

Ingredients:
210gm castor sugar ( i used 110gm castor + 100gm brown sugar)
225gm corn oil or (i used 1 cup of canola oil)
4 eggs

200gm carrot, grated – 2 cups
110gm pineapple, chopped and drained (i dont hv any, so i omitted this. farra says adding in pineapple will make the cake to be extra moist)
50gm walnuts, chopped roughly ( i used ¾ cup)
50 gm raisin, chopped roughly ( i used ½ cup)

250gm cups superfine flour or 2 cups wholemeal flour (i only hv soft flour at home, so didnt use wholemeal flour)
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
(all sift together)

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Beat in a separate bowl the eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla.
2. Chuck in all dry ingredients and carrot. Stir well until all combined.
3. Pour into round/square 9" pan, lined and greased, and bake in 180C oven for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Cool. Frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese frosting
100gm cream cheese
100gm unsalted butter ( guna butter biasa pon takpe)
100gm icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

My version of cream cheese frosting:
250g cream cheese, 125g butter, 1 cup icing sugar, 1tsp vanilla essence
--> Beat cream cheese n butter until smooth n creamy, add in icing sugar, lastly add vanilla essence.

Ok teruja tak??

Go bake one for your family!!!