Make Ahead

Carrot cake

by:
February 27, 2011
5
1 Ratings
Carrot cake
  • Serves 16
Author Notes

A carrot cake I made for my dad's 80th birthday; the recipe got plenty of requests and has one secret ingredient: grape molasses —Taste of Beirut

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3 cups grated carrots
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/2 cup grape molasses
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
  • 4 pieces large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons orange rind
  • 2 cups pistachios
  • 1/2 cup grated coconut
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 14 ounces cream cheese spread
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons orange blossom water
Directions
  1. Place the dry ingredients in mixer bowl and mix to combine well (flour, almond flour, spices, baking soda and powder).
  2. In another bowl, place eggs, sugar, molasses, vanilla and oil and mix well to combine.
  3. Add to the wet ingredients the dry ingredients and mix well then the carrots and nuts and raisins, previously drained.
  4. Pour the batter into a pan lined with parchment paper.
  5. Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
  6. Make the frosting while the cake is cooling by mixing the butter and cream cheese and gradually adding some sugar and the orange blossom water till creamy and smooth.
  7. Frost the cake, decorate with chopped pistachios and refrigerate to set the frosting before serving.
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7 Reviews

katy
katy September 28, 2013
what is 4 pieces large eggs ?
 
nogaga
nogaga July 28, 2012
Hi, I am planning on making this cake. What size pan do you use for it?

Many thanks!
 
BakingMaggie
BakingMaggie February 28, 2011
Lovely photo and recipe -- but please tell me something about grape molasses! I have cooked with pomegranate molasses, but not grape. What is it and where would I find it? Thank you!
 
Taste O.
Taste O. March 2, 2011
Grape molasses is a very ancient product that has been used all over the mediterranean as a substitute for sugar; in Lebanese villages, grape molasses is made from sweet grapes; villagers go to the village press and the grapes are placed in big vats, the juice is extracted and then cooked with lime for a few hours until it is thick and syrupy. Grape molasses can be a blond caramel color or a brown color. Currently I find it at the middle-eastern store, but it can be found at Greek stores where it is called petimezi; it comes either from Lebanon, Greece or Turkey. It is also sold online through Amazon and from individual ethnic grocers.
Grape molasses is sweet, unlike pomegranate molasses which is made from sour pomegranates and is sour tasting. So the two cannot be interchanged. The best thing to replace it with is another sweet molasses, such as apple cider or date, or dark honey.
 
kmartinelli
kmartinelli February 27, 2011
This looks and sounds amazing. I love the use of pistachios and orange blossom water - not at all your typical carrot cake!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour February 27, 2011
This is gorgeous, and the flavors sound amazing. Can I request one for my next birthday? ;)
 
Midge
Midge February 27, 2011
I bet this is amazing. What a great photo too.