25 Jun Summer Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

Serving size: 12 – 14 medium slices

160 g Cake flour
160 g Brown Sugar
90 g finely grated carrot ( squeezed )
3 Eggs
80 g milk
190 g Vegetable oil
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1. Preheat oven to 325F / 160C.
2. Grease and flour 3 cake pans of 15 cm or 6 inches diameter.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
4. Mix oil, milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
5. Whip eggs on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes or until pale and creamy using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add sugar and continue whipping 3-5 mins until you have a firm yellow foam.
6. Start adding oil mixture slowly until mix looks smooth.
7. With a rubber spatula gently add flour in three additions, folding gently after each one.
8. Add grated carrots and fold gently.
9. Divide mix in 3 equal batches and pour them over the cake pans.
10. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the surface looks soft brown.
11. Remove from oven, and let cool on a wire rack. Let them cool to room temperature.

Crumble

60g All purpose flour
30g butter at room temperature
30g granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F / 175C.
2. Mix flour and sugar into a bowl.
3. Add the butter, then rub into the flour using your fingertips to make a light breadcrumb texture.
4. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 15 mins or until lightly coloured.

Blackberry Jam

200 g fresh blackberries
40 g brown sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and cook at high temperature until it boils. Whisk constantly.
2. Cook at slow temperature 10 minutes more.
3. Let cool. Set aside.

Creamcheese Frosting

300 g Creamcheese room temperature or about 10 minutes out the refrigerator
150 g Butter softened
100 g Powdered sugar sifted
1 tablespoon Milk

1. Beat butter until pale and fluffy, .
2. Add powdered sugar and milk. Beat medium speed about 6 minutes.
3. Add Creamcheese and beat for 2 minutes.
4. If the mixture seems too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes before using.

Salted Caramel Sauce

I used this perfect recipe
100g sugar
50g butter
100g heavy cream
1 tsp Salt

1. Heat granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a high heat resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
2. Sugar will form clumps and eventually melt into a thick brown, amber-colored liquid as you continue to stir. Be careful not to burn.
Once sugar is completely melted, immediately add the butter. Be careful in this step because the caramel will bubble rapidly when the butter is added.
3. Stir the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Very slowly, drizzle in 1/2 cup of heavy cream while stirring. Since the heavy cream is colder than the caramel, the mixture will rapidly bubble and/or splatter when added.
5. Allow the mixture to boil for 1 minute. It will rise in the pan as it boils.
Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of salt. Allow to cool down before using.

To Assemble and decorate Cake

1. If cakes are domed on top, even out with a knife (Frozen cakes work better here).
2. Place the first layer on a cake board and spread frosting around top and the center of the cake. Add one layer of blackberry jam, crumble and salted caramel. Repeat this proccess twice.
3. Use some fresh flowers for garnish. Get inspired with this video I recorded meanwhile I decorated my cake. Enjoy.