My Ideal Carrot Cake

My Ideal Carrot Cake

This makes a 9 inch two layer cake

I started with a recipe from Fine Cooking Issue 97, Abigail Johnson Dodge's "Classic Carrot Layer Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting".  I first made it exactly as written, then tweaked it to my taste.  For this version I've omitted the raisins, increased the walnuts and spices, and switched from ground to fresh ginger to give it a little more punch.  I also reduced the proportion of frosting.


For the cake:
1 cup oil
9 oz. (2 c.) all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
3/4 tsp. table salt
4 large eggs
8 3/4 oz. (2 1/2 c.) finely grated carrots
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
12 oz cream cheese, softened
9 oz. salted butter, softened
12  oz.  (3 c.) powdered sugar
1 Tbs. vanilla extract

For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 350.  Line the bottoms of 2 9-inch round pans with parchment, then spray with baking spray.  Wrap the pans in damp cake pan insulating strips, or in folded damp towels pinned around the sides (not the top or bottom).  This helps the cakes bake even and flat.  Also make sure your oven racks are level.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt.  In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the oil, eggs, carrots, brown sugar, walnuts, ginger and vanilla on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.  Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just blended, about 30 seconds.   Divide evenly in the prepared pans. 

Bake  until the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 28-30 minutes (5-10 minutes longer if using the insulating strips or towels).

Let cool in the pans on a rack for 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the inside edge of the pans to loosen the cakes, invert them onto the rack, remove the pans, and carefully peel away the parchment.  Set aside to cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with the mixer on medium speed until very smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on medium high until blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Cover and set aside at room temperature until the layers are completely cool. 

To Assemble:
Carefully set one cake upside down on a large serving plate.  Using a metal spatula, evenly spread about 1 cup of the frosting over the top of the cake.  Top with the remaining cake layer, upside down.  Spread a thin layer (about 1/3 cup) of frosting over the entire cake to seal in any crumbs and fill in any gaps between layers.  Refrigerate until the crumb coat is cold and firm, about 20 minutes.  Spread the entire cake with the remaining frosting.    Refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.  Best served slightly chilled or room temperature.  You can also freeze the entire frosted cake.  Garnish with chopped walnuts. 

Chocolate Orange Cake

Chocolate Orange Cake

I think this is the right amount for a 2 layer 9 inch cake.  I really struggled with the original recipe, which called for you to mix the butter into the flour and stir the hot melted chocolate into the cold milk and eggs.  The chocolate didn't mix in well, and then the lumpy butter flour mixture didn't mix well with the liquids.  I ended up with a dirty food processor, a dirty immersion blender, a mess all over the counter, and lumpy cake batter.  So I've changed the method here.

For the cake:
240 g/8 oz. flour
280g/10 oz. sugar
2 tsp baking powder
80 g/3 oz butter
100 g/4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs
250 ml/8 oz. milk

For the syrup
1/4 c. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/4 c. orange juice (from the 2 oranges zested for the buttercream)
2 tsp. orange liqueur (like grand marnier or triple sec, optional)
1/4 c. sugar

For the white chocolate and orange buttercream
250 g/9 oz butter, softened
500 g/18 oz. powdered sugar
4-6 Tbs milk
100 g/2 1/2 oz. white chocolate, melted (Lindt is good)
zest of 2 oranges

For the filling:
1 batch of orange chocolate pastry cream, well-chilled

For the chocolate curls:
1 cup chopped semi or bittersweet chocolate

Preheat the oven to 325.  Line two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper.  Spray bottom and sides with baking spray.  Wrap in damp cake pan insulating strips or fold damp dishtowels and pin them around the sides on the pan (not the top or bottom). This helps the layers bake even and flat because the edges don't bake before the middle.  Another pointer is to make sure your oven racks are level, that the oven itself is level, and that the racks don't sag in the middle (if they do, you can try to correct it by bending them slightly in the other direction if you do it before you turn on the oven).

Sift together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.

Melt the chocolate together with the butter, in a double boiler or in 20 second increments in the microwave, stirring between intervals.  Put in large mixing bowl.

Whisk the egg and milk together in a medium bowl or something with a spout.

Alternately stir the liquid and flour mixtures into the chocolate mixture, starting with the 1/3 of the liquid, then 1/2 the flour, mixing until just combined between each one, and ending with the last 1/3 of the liquid.

Divide the batter between the pans and bake until risen and golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about  25-30 minutes.  Remove from oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

Mix the syrup ingredients.  Pour over the warm cakes and set aside to cool completely.

For the buttercream, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy.  Carefully stir in the powdered sugar and continue to beat for 5 minutes.  Beat in the milk, melted chocolate, and orange zest.

It's easiest to frost the cake if it is frozen.  I'd recommend that on the first day you bake the cake, baste it with the syrup, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze the layers.  Make the pastry cream and chill it overnight.  The second day you can make the buttercream, pull the layers out of the freezer, spread the pastry cream between the layers and assemble and frost the cake.  At that point you can serve it (give it a couple hours to finish thawing), or carefully place in a cake box, freeze it solid, then wrap tightly in plastic or layers of foil without tipping it, and then place upright in freezer for up to a month.  (I was careful to keep savory things out of the freezer that I was storing the cakes in to be sure that I wouldn't get weird freezer flavors in the cakes.  You wouldn't need to worry about this if you're not freezing it for long).

For the chocolate curls, melt the chocolate (in microwave in short increments, stirring between, or in double boiler).  Spread in a thin layer on the back of a cookie sheet. Let the chocolate cool, then chill in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.  Pull it out and drag an orange zesting tool through the chocolate to make lovely curls.  If it all sticks together, the chocolate is too warm and needs to chill more.  If the tool just scratches without cutting into the chocolate, the chocolate is too cold and needs to sit out for a minute before you try again.  It took me a long time to get the temperature right.  It was a hot day and the chocolate kept getting too soft, so I'd have to chill, pull a couple of strips, then chill again until I got a good number of curls.  Then you can scrape up the leftover chocolate and use it to make hot chocolate or something else.

Chocolate Orange Pastry Cream

Chocolate Orange Pastry Cream

I started this recipe with one that claimed it would survive freezing - an essential characteristic when I had 5 cakes to make for 1 event.  It uses gelatin in place of cornstarch or flour as the final thickener, which doesn't break down when frozen, and keeps the pastry cream firm at room temperature.  Then I added chocolate and orange flavor.  And of course I didn't write down exactly what I added, but here's my best guess:

This makes about 1 cup - I think I doubled the recipe, but I had quite a bit left and I had a 4 layer  9-inch cake, so for a two to three layer cake, this should be the right amount.

1 1/2 tsp. gelatin
2 tsp. cold water
1 1/3 c. milk, very hot
4 egg yolks
1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar (50-100 grams, 1.75-3 1/2 oz)
3 Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 c. flour (35 grams, 1 oz)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tbs. butter, cut in bits and softened
orange zest from 3 oranges
a few drops of sweet orange essential oil (opt)

Soften the gelatin in the water and set aside.

Add the orange peel to the milk.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in saucepan.  Whisk in the flour and cocoa.  Add the milk slowly, whisking well and scraping the corners of the pan with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is incorporated.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.  Tear the dissolved gelatin into small pieces and stir into the hot liquid and stir until blended.  Sir in the chocolate and butter.  Add essential oil if desired.

Strain out the orange zest, pour into a storage container, cover the surface with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight to chill.

(If you want a lighter pastry cream, you can fold in 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream that has been whipped to a medium peak.)

This made a very firm pastry cream.  A little softer might have been nice (maybe increase the milk by 2 Tbs.), but it made for a very sturdy cake.

Dad's Sourdough Waffles

I can't remember a time when there wasn't a jar of sourdough fermenting in my parents' refrigerator.  My dad frequently made bread and sourdough waffles and pancakes for us when I was growing up, and still does when I visit.  During orange season, he makes a sauce out of fresh squeezed orange juice with a little grated rind and some tapioca to thicken it.  So good!

I got this recipe from him.  It actually calls for the eggs to be separated so that the whites can be beaten and folded in at the end, to make the waffles more light, but I've found they're light enough without that extra step.  I've also sometimes substituted melted butter or ghee for all or part of the oil, and I'm guessing melted coconut oil would also be a tasty option.

I make my sourdough with 100% white whole wheat flour, but my dad uses red wheat flour, and that's also good.  The fermenting process helps break down the whole grain so it's a little more tender and easier to digest.  It works well to feed your sourdough the night before making this so you have plenty to use and so that the sourdough isn't too sour (since this recipe doesn't call for any additional flour, I've found that if I use really ripened sourdough without feeding it first, the flavor is a little too strong).

Dad's Sourdough Waffles

2 1/2 c. sourdough

milk to thin (or buttermilk or yogurt, or water)

2 eggs

3/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbs. sugar

1/4 cup oil (or melted butter, ghee, coconut oil)

Mix together the baking soda, salt, and sugar in a small bowl.  Stir together the sourdough, eggs, and enough liquid to make it a good waffle consistency, then stir in the oil and the dry ingredients just to blend.  Cook in waffle iron.

Note:  it works well to freeze any leftovers and then warm them in the toaster when ready to eat them.

Inarizushi (Seasoned Sushi Pockets)

Inarizushi are at the tip of the boat

We like to include these in our sushi parties - a nice variation that's sweet and usually a good way to get your kids to decide they like sushi, since it doesn't include anything fishy.  You can also just stuff the pockets with sushi rice or add some other toppings, but I like it this way.

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups rice prepared for sushi*
1-2 Tbs. minced pickled ginger
2 Tbs. chopped peanuts
1 Tbs. sesame seeds
2 dates, chopped
2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
tofu pockets

Mix flavorings into rice. Squeeze most of the liquid out of the pockets.  Press into egg shape, then stuff into pocket.  Fold top over and press the whole thing together.

*For sushi rice instructions, see Sushi Bowls Recipe

Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls with Lime Chipotle Dressing

One of our favorite meals has always been beans and rice, and last year I started making a more complicated version with lots of delicious toppings like sauteed peppers and onions, shredded chicken in green sauce, roasted corn, cheese, salsa, and sour cream.   I was looking for variations that would work for Zoe's mostly vegetarian and tightly budgeted house, and came across a lot of recipes that included sweet potatoes.  This is the version I came up with after looking at several.  I think it turned out great!

Sweet Potato Burrito Bowls with Lime Chipotle Dressing

For about 4 servings:

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked black beans*
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, in strips
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes.
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 sliced avocado (opt)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (opt)

for the dressing:
2 Tbs. sour cream
2 Tbs. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. lime juice
1/4 tsp. paprika (smoked if you have it)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle powder (or some finely chopped canned chipotle)
1/8 tsp. cumin
salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  If you have one (or two), preheat a pizza stone or roasting pan. Drizzle the bell pepper and onion with about 1 Tbs. olive oil, sprinkle on a few pinches of salt and toss to coat.  Spread out on pizza stone or roasting pan or large cookie sheet and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until they've developed some spots of brown roasted color.

Peppers and onions as they start roasting

Peppers and onions after they're roasted 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Toss the sweet potatoes in another Tbs. of olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and roast those the same way as the peppers and onions.










Mix together the dressing ingredients.

Chipotle Lime Dressing

To serve, put a scoop of rice, beans, and each of the kinds of veggies in a bowl, top with the optional avocado and cilantro, and drizzle with the dressing.

Cooked black beans

*For black beans, I cooked these in my instant pot.  3 cups of black beans, 9 cups of water, 1 Tbs. salt, 2 Tbs. dried minced onions, 2 cloves garlic, 2 dried chiles (I used Oaxacan pasilla, but the chiles are optional and you can use whatever type you prefer) and 2 dried avocado leaves (totally optional).  Pressed "beans" and did a quick release when they were done cooking.  This time I had presoaked them a few hours before cooking, and forgot to reduce the 30 minute automatic cooking time, so they're a little softer than I might prefer.

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

This recipe is originally from Joanne Wheatley, from the Great British Bake-Off.  It has a mixing method I haven’t tried before in a cake batter, where you blend the dry ingredients with the butter in a food processor, kind of like you would for a pie, then you mix in the liquid ingredients.  I think I didn’t blend the butter in quite enough because the batter had butter lumps in it, but they weren’t a problem in the finished cupcake.

I made her version today and it was a little too sweet for my taste.  I’d prefer a more tart orange flavor and darker chocolate.  So here is what I’d do the next time around.

Chocolate Orange Cupcakes

For the cupcakes

120g/4oz (1 cup) all-purpose flour

140g/5oz (2/3 cup) sugar

1 tsp baking powder

40g/1½ oz unsalted butter

50g/2oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

1 free-range egg

125ml/4fl oz (1/2 cup) milk 

For the orange drizzle

2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

2 Tbsp orange juice

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1 tsp orange liqueur or 1/2 tsp orange extract

For the white chocolate and orange buttercream

125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened

250g/9oz icing sugar

2-3 tbsp milk

50g/1¾oz white chocolate, melted

1 orange, zest only

1 oz dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until combined.

Whisk the melted chocolate, egg and milk together in a jug.

Stir the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.

Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until risen and and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the orange juice, concentrate, liqueur and granulated sugar together in a bowl. Carefully pour the orange juice mixture over the warm cakes and set aside to cool completely.

For the white chocolate and orange buttercream, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Carefully stir in the icing sugar and continue to beat for five minutes. Beat in the milk, melted chocolate and orange zest.

Decorate the cupcakes with the buttercream.

Use a sharp knife to make chocolate shavings from the dark chocolate and use them to decorate the cupcakes.