Spiced Carrot Cake with Blond Chocolate Frosting
 
 
A richly spiced carrot cake covered in blond chocolate cream cheese frosting - a truly perfect carrot cake that you won't be able to help drooling over.
Yield: 8-inch layer cake
Ingredients
For the cake
  • 17 tbsp (240 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tbsp (40 g) honey
  • 2 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
  • ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened shredded dried coconut
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1¾ cups (350 g) sugar
  • 4¼ cups (350 g) grated carrots
  • 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
For the frosting
  • 12 oz (340 g) blond chocolate (ie Valrhona Dulcey) or white chocolate, chopped
  • ½ cup + 1 tbsp (135 g) heavy cream
  • ½ cup (100 g) sugar
  • 14.1 oz (400 g) full fat cream cheese
  • 1¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the cake
  1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook it until it starts to brown and smell deeply nutty, about 15 minutes. Scrape immediately into a small bowl, stir in the honey, and set aside to cool completely.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. Leave the mixer running and slowly pour in the brown butter mixture in a steady stream. Mix until completely combined. Add in the flour mixture in three additions, mixing on low until just incorporated.
  5. Stir the carrots and the ginger into the batter by hand, using a spatula to combine. Pour into the prepared pans in equal amounts. Spread the batter into an even layer with an offset spatula.
  6. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, rotating the pans after 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the pans on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack and cool completely.
For the frosting
  1. Melt the blond or white chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. If using the microwave, make sure to stir well after each 30 second increment to avoid overcooking it.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the cream and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, cooking only until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly.
  3. Add the hot cream mixture to the bowl of melted chocolate along with the cream cheese and cinnamon. Blend with an immersion blender or in a food processor until it is completely smooth.
To assemble
  1. Level the cake using a large serrated knife to cut off any domed tops or uneven edges.
  2. Center a cake layer on a serving plate or cardboard round, top side up. Spread 1 cup of the frosting onto the cake and spread it in an even layer, moving it just past the edges of the cake. Top with the second cake layer, top side down. Spread 1 cup of frosting again over the top of the cake. Cover the sides of the cake with the remaining 2 cups of frosting.
  3. Decorate as desired. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Recipe from The Artful Baker
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2020/02/perfect-carrot-layer-cake-blond-chocolate-frosting.html