Supplied by Jade Stevens, owner
Fat Beagle Coffee Shop
With it's exceptional spice blend, ultra-moist texture, and smooth cream cheese icing, this carrot cake is to die for - and a firm favourite at the Fat Beagle Coffee Shop in Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups of chopped pecans
- 1 and 1/2 cups of brown sugar
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
- 4 x Kangaroo Island free range eggs
- 3/4 cup smooth unsweetened applesauce or apple puree
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups of plain flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of bicarb soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
- 2 cups of grated carrots
Cream Cheese icing
- 452g of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups of icing sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 150°C. Line a large baking sheet with baking paper or a silicone baking mat. Spread the chopped pecans on the sheet and toast for 7-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Increase oven temperature to 180°C. Grease two or three 9-inch cake pans, line with baking paper, then grease the baking paper.
- Whisk the brown sugar, sugar, oil, eggs, apple puree and vanilla together in a large bowl until combined and lumps remain.
- In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, bicarb soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold the ingredients together until just combined. Fold in the carrots and half of the toasted pecans.
- Pour the batter evenly into the cake pans. If using three cake pans, bake for 20-24 minutes. If using two cake pans, bake for 30-35 minutes. Test the center with a skewer - if it comes out clean, the cakes are done. If not, continue to bake until cooked through.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- To make the icing, beat the cream cheese and butter together with a hand mixer until smooth, for around 2 minutes. Add the icing sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy.
- Assemble your cake by spreading an even layer of icing to sandwich the two (or three) layers of cake together, and then ice the entire cake with the left over icing. Garnish with the remaining pecans. Refrigerate the cake for 15 minutes prior to serving, which helps hold the cake together when slicing.
