Honey Carrot Cake
INGREDIENTS
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lb. peeled carrots
• 1 cup Pinecreek honey
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups toasted nuts (coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts)
Frosting
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened but still cool
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups icing sugar
METHOD
• Adjust oven rack to middle position, heat oven to 325F. Spray 13 X 9 X 2 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper, then spray the top of the parchment paper as well.
• Whisk together first 9 ingredients and set aside. Shred carrots in a food processor using the grating disk and set aside. Fit food processor with metal blade. Process the honey, brown sugar, and eggs for about 20 seconds. With processor running gradually add oil; process for another minute. Scrap mixture into a separate mixing bowl and add shredded carrots. Blend in the dry ingredients and toasted nuts.
• Pour into baking dish and bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick or skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Rotate pan once halfway through baking. Cool cake to room temperature on wire rack for 2-3 hours.
• When cake is cool, process cream cheese, butter, sour cream and vanilla in clean food processor bowl until combined. Add sugar and process until smooth. Run paring knife around edge of cake to loosen from pan. Invert cake on cake board and remove from pan. Peel off parchment paper and ice the cake.
