Email to Stella      

Carrot: Carrot Cake for a Crowd

Source of Recipe

King Arthur Flour


Recipe Introduction

"Are you on the food committee for your church’s potluck? Having your daughter’s basketball team over for dinner? Or did you volunteer, in a very weak moment, to host your sister’s 50th birthday party-you know, the popular sister with the zillion best friends? Well, don’t panic-remember, everyone likes carrot cake. And this one is easy to put together, even if you don’t have a large stand mixer. The following recipe makes enough batter for one 14-inch single-layer round cake; or four 9-inch rounds; or two 9 x 13-inch sheet cakes; or one 12-inch round plus one 6-inch round. Any configuration you choose, you’ll have enough cake for 30 to 35 servings."

Recipe Link: www.kingarthurflour.com

List of Ingredients

3 cups (22 ounces) vegetable oil
8 large eggs
3 cups (20 1/2 ounces) sugar, extra-fine or Baker’s Special preferred
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) baking powder
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) baking soda
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (1/2 ounce) cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg (freshly ground is nice)
1 teaspoon allspice or Island Spice Flavor
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) vanilla extract
5 cups (21 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
5 cups (15 to 16 ounces) finely shredded carrots
two 16-ounce cans crushed pineapple, well-drained (about 3 cups)
2 cups (6 ounces) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 envelope (1/4 ounce, 1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup (2 ounces) water
two 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) butter
4 cups (16 ounces) confectioners’ or glazing sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) heavy cream
2 tablespoons orange zest OR 1/4 teaspoon orange oil (optional)



Recipe

Cake:Grease and flour the pans of your choice, or line them with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, beat together the vegetable oil, eggs, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice (or Island Spice Flavor), and vanilla extract. Blend in the flour. Stir in the shredded carrots, well-drained crushed pineapple, and nuts, if you’re using them.

Pour the batter into the pans, filling them about two-thirds full, and bake the cake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. This will be about 25 minutes for a 6-inch round; 35 minutes for 9-inch rounds; 45 to 50 minutes for 9 x 13-inch sheets; and 60 to 65 minutes for a 12- or 14-inch round. Note: Baking times will be longer if you use Magi-Cake Strips.(r) Cool the cakes in the pans for 30 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen any areas that may stick and turn them out onto a rack (if you have one big enough), or onto a serving plate, to cool completely. Once the cake is cool, cover it with plastic wrap if you’re not going to frost it right away.

Cream Cheese Frosting:Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a very small heatproof saucepan. Let it soften for 5 minutes, then heat over low heat until the gelatin dissolves. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until they’re soft and fluffy. Beat in the confectioners’ or glazing sugar, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well-combined. Add the gelatin mixture to the heavy cream, then beat this into the cream cheese mixture, along with the orange zest or oil, if you’re using it.

Spread the frosting over the top and sides of the cake, reserving some to decorate with, if desired. If the frosting seems too soft, refrigerate the cake for 45 minutes, to let the gelatin firm up a bit. Sprinkle the cake with chopped nuts, or decorate it with piped frosting and candied orange slices, if desired.

YIELD: About 35 Servings


Note: To make a very large double-layer cake, enough to serve 60 to 70 people, simply make this recipe twice. Bake it in 9 x 13-inch pans, then stack the layers side by side to make an 18 x 13-inch double-layer cake. Don’t worry, frosting will cover the crack between the cakes.