Almond Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon each, ground cinnamon and baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-7 oz box Odense Almond Paste (grated using large hole side of a box grater)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup safflower oil
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups grated carrot
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- OPTIONAL Frosting:
- 2-8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1-16 oz box confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
The addition of Odense Almond Paste gives this cake a subtle almond flavor and a rich and dense moistness. For the finishing touch, top with Marzipan Carrots.
Time
30 minutes to assemble
35-40 minutes to bake
Total Time: 65-70 minutes (not including frosting)
35-40 minutes to bake
Total Time: 65-70 minutes (not including frosting)
Yield
Serves 12
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2-9 inch cake pans, or use bakers spray.
- Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
- Add grated Almond Paste (grated using large hole side of a box grater) and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat until small crumbs (a food processor works well for this step). Add oil and beat until thick and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture, carrots, raisins and almonds to almond paste mixture. Beat on low until just mixed.
- Divide batter equally between the two pans. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near middle pulls out clean. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and then invert cake onto wire racks to finish cooling.
- If using optional cream cheese frosting beat cream cheese and butter until very creamy. Add confectioner's sugar (sift if lumpy) and beat until smooth. Beat in extract of choice.
- Place cooled cake top-side down on cake plate*. Generously frost top and position second cake on top, top-side up. For a faultless (no crumbs) frosting, lightly frost cake with a skim coat (thin layer) of frosting and refrigerate. When skim coat is firm, finish frosting cake with a generous second layer. For an extra special touch, decorate with Marzipan Carrots.