By
Woman's Day Kitchen, CountryLiving
These
delectable little cakes are ideal for company—each person can savor his
or her own, full of freshly grated carrots, cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint
of orange, with a decadent cream cheese frosting.
Total Time:
Prep:
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6
Ingredients
Carrot Cakes
- 1¾ c. all-purpose flour
- 1¾ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp. each baking soda and salt
- 2 jar baby food carrots
- .67 c. cup grated fresh carrots
- ¾ c. orange juice
- ½ c. sugar
- ¼ c. canola oil
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 brick cream cheese
- ½ stick unsalted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1½ c. confectioners’ sugar
- Orange and green gel food color
Directions
- Heat oven to 375ºF. Line 13 x 9 x 2-in. baking pan with heavy-duty foil, extending it over sides; coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl to mix.
- In another medium bowl, whisk baby food, fresh carrots, orange juice, sugar, oil, egg and vanilla.
- Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until blended. Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Using foil, lift cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
- Frosting: In a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla until creamy. On low, beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat until fluffy.
- Using foil, lift cake onto work surface. With a 2 1⁄2-in. round biscuit cutter, cut out 12 rounds from cake. Place 1⁄2 cup frosting in a cup and tint orange. Place 1⁄4 cup frosting in another cup and tint green-yellow.
- On half of the cake rounds, spread 1 Tbsp frosting each; top with remaining rounds. Frost each top with 1 1⁄2 Tbsp frosting. Place orange and green tinted frosting in separate quart-size ziptop bags. Snip off tip from each bag; pipe orange carrots and green tops on cakes.
