Best Gold Nugget Carrot Cake Recipes

GOLDEN, MOIST CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• PREPARATION: Arrange a shelf in the lower third of the oven and place a baking stone on it.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Spread nuts on a baking sheet, place in the oven on the stone, and roast for 10 to 12 minutes.
• While nuts are hot, stir in 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• Spray 2 (8-inch) round cake pans (the 2-inch high kind) with nonstick cooking spray and line with a parchment circle.
• Spray very lightly on top of parchment, too.
• THE CAKE: In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest.
• Beat well at medium speed with an electric mixer.
• In another bowl, stir together whole eggs, egg yolks, and brown sugar.
• Then, add oil, vanilla, and orange juice, stirring to combine.
• Make a hole in the center of flour mixture and add egg mixture, a little at a time, stirring by hand.
• Add carrots and roasted nuts.
• Pour batter into prepared pans (spoon batter from one pan to the other until batter is divided equally).
• Drop pans, one at a time, onto the counter from a height of 4 inches to knock out large air bubbles.
• Place both pans in oven on stone.
• Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched. Ideally, cake should not pull away from sides until it has just come out of oven. (The center temperature should read approximately 209° on an instant-read thermometer.).
• COOLING THE CAKE: Cool cake layers in pans on a cooling rack for approximately 10 minutes.
• Shake pan to loosen cake all around.
• Spray a cooling rack with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place rack, sprayed side down, on top of cake and invert.
• Let cool completely.
• FROSTING THE CAKE: When completely cool, slice each layer in half horizontally, creating 4 layers.
• Divide cream cheese icing in half; reserving one half to ice top and sides.
• Divide remaining half into thirds.
• Place one layer, cut side up, on a cake plate or serving dish and spread with one-third of icing.
• Place another layer on top of icing, cut side up, and spread with another third.
• Place third layer on top, cut side up, and spread with remaining third.
• Place top layer on, cut side down. Ice top and sides with reserved icing.

THE BEST CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds and lightly coat the paper with spray.
• Cover the raisins with very hot water and let sit until plump, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Toast the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, and then chop 1 cup of the pecans; reserve for the cake batter. Pulse the remaining 1/2 cup pecans in a food processor until very finely ground; reserve for garnish.
• Combine the carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low and gradually stream in the oil. Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the carrot mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until smooth. Fold in the raisins and chopped pecans with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
• Bake the cakes, rotating the pans halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioner' sugar. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: When the cakes are completely cool, trim the domes of each cake round with a large serrated knife so the tops are flat. Place one cake, cut-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over top. Place the remaining cake, cut-side down, on top. Spread the top with another 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with another 1 1/2 cups frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, swirling decoratively if desired. Sprinkle with the finely ground pecans.

SOLID GOLD CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position oven rack in the center of oven; preheat oven to 350°; butter the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; dust the pans with flour.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in to a bowl.
• Whisk together the dry ingredients until blended; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and light brown sugar at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes.
• On low speed, add the oil, melted butter, milk, vanilla extract, ginger, and orange zest and mix until blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
• Add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing just until blended.
• Add the carrots and walnuts and mix until blended.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pans, dividing it evenly.
• Bake the cakes for 25-30 minutes, until they are dark golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes.
• Invert the cakes onto the racks and cool completely.
• Make the frosting: melt the white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, stirring frequently.
• Remove the chocolate from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Add the melted white chocolate and mix until blended.
• Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and powdered sugar; mix until blended.
• Increase the speed to high and beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
• Use the frosting immediately, as it will begin to harden quickly.
• Frost the cake: place one of the cake layers right side up on a serving plate or cardboard cake round; spread the top of the cake with about 1 cup of frosting; top with the other cake layer, upside down.
• Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
• Serve the cake immediately, or refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving.

GOLDEN CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour pans.
• Sift together, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, then add both sugars.
• Let stand until sugars dissolve, approximately 10 minutes.
• Stir in oil, carrots, applesauce, pineapple with juice, nuts, (and raisins if added).
• Stir in dry ingredients and beat until well blended, approximately 3 minutes.
• Turn into 3, greased and floured, 9-inch round cake pans, or one 13 x 9 x 12 inch square cake pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Cool in pans for approximately 10 minutes, then turn on to wire wracks until completely cooled before frosting.
• Frosting Preparations:.
• Combine butter, (margarine) cream cheese and vanilla in a large bowl,.
• beat until well blended.
• Add powdered sugar, gradually sifting into mixture.
• Beat at high speed.
• (If frosting is too thick, add a drop or two of milk to spreading consistency).
• Add food coloring, or frosting coloring to frosting if desired.
• Decorate with cute little carrots, with green toppings. Be creative!
• Hope you enjoy my variation of this classic cake!