Carrot Cake with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe is my version of cream cheese frosting. Instead of the usual lemon flavoring, I spike mine with lime for a bit more punch. Speaking of punch, although kids will love this cake, the rum-soaked raisins make it a decidedly adult treat. Note that it’s even better the next day, whenever you eventually wake up.
Carrot Cake
1 cup (8 ounces/226 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups (101⁄4 ounces/290 grams) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
11⁄3 cups (7 ounces/200 grams) packed light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup (31⁄2 ounces/100 grams) sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
4 cups (252⁄3 ounces/728 grams) finely shredded carrots
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil
For Lime–Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup (43⁄4 ounces/136 grams) raisins
1⁄2 cup (4 ounces/113 grams) dark rum
12 ounces (336 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
2⁄3 cup (42⁄3 ounces/133 grams) sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
12⁄3 cups (133⁄8 ounces/380 grams) sour cream, at room temperature
1. To make the carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter the parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside.
3. Put the butter, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn the speed to low and slowly add the sifted dry ingredients, mixing until no traces of flour remain. Add the carrots and mix until evenly distributed, then turn the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, mixing until incorporated. Fold in the oil.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack, peel off the parchment paper, and cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting: Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with the rum. Soak at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (The raisins can be soaked for as long as overnight.)
6. Put the cream cheese, sugar, and salt into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Fold in the lime zest, lime juice, and sour cream until incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until cold and stiff enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
7. Using a long serrated knife, cut the cake horizontally into 3 even layers. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate and spread one-third of the frosting evenly over it. Scatter half the raisins on top, and set another cake layer on top. Frost with half of the remaining frosting, scatter the remaining raisins on top, and set the last cake layer on top. Frost the top layer, and refrigerate the cake until set, at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight. Serve chilled.
Notes and Tips:
This cake can be made without the rum—substitute an equal amount of water in the recipe below. You can decorate the top of the cake with a dozen thin strips of carrot blanched in simple syrup. Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add 1⁄4 cup carrot strips and return to a boil. Remove from the heat. Drain the carrot and dry completely on a
cooling rack.
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| Carrot Cake with Lime Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe |
