To fulfill a couple of request, I present:
Pumpkin Chia Carrot Cake
2½ c all-purpose flour
1½ t baking powder
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
2 t ground ginger
2 1/2 T ground cinnamon
½ t ground cardamom (I have made this with 1 t and loved it, but cardamom can be too much for some people.)
½ t ground nutmeg
¼ t ground mace
½ t cloves (I sometimes add 1 t because I love cloves!)
¼ t fine black pepper (Yep, pepper. You can also add a pinch or two of cayenne. It is good!)
1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ c granulated sugar
½ c firmly packed light brown sugar (I have used dark brown sugar with great results.)
3 large eggs, separated
1 ½ t vanilla extract
1¼ cups fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie puree)
2-2 ½ cups grated raw carrots (I do a 50/50 mix of fine and course)
Technically optional, but I like it better with it:
1 c boiling water
4 teabags (I have used oolong, orange pekoe, and Darjeeling)
Optional:
½ to 1 c chopped and toasted nuts (I use pecans, but hazelnuts or walnuts would also be nice.)
½ c raisins (I have not tried this. Raisins are gross! Haha! But if you like them, give it a go.)
½ c coconut (Again, I have not tried this. Coconut is fine, but I do not want in my cake.)
I would not advise adding pineapple unless you reduce the carrots and really strain it. I am allergic and think it is gross, so I have not tried this.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8 inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. (I also line the bottom with greased and floured parchment paper, but that is not necessary.)
If you are adding the tea: Boil your water and let it cool slightly. Add your teabags. Steep for 5 minutes. You only need 1 T, so you need it to be strong. Set aside to cool.
Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface. (I weigh them each out for this step, but you do not have to.) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
As I said in the other thread, I like my cake spicy. You can adjust the spices to your tastes, obviously.
You can use various fillings and icings.
Cream cheese “buttercream”
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup salted butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar ½ c at a time. Add vanilla.
Ermine frosting
5 T flour
1 c whole milk
1 t vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar
Non-dairy Ermine Frosting (This is for you,
Lari
. I have not made it, but it was the best one I could find.)
5 T flour
1 c non-dairy milk (I can see coconut milk working well here)
1 c vegan butter, softened (if it is unsalted, add a pinch of salt)
1c granulated sugar
1 t vanilla (I have seen cream cheese extract, which might make this a good alternative to cream cheese icing!)
Follow the directions for the regular ermine frosting.
Caramel ganache or caramel buttercream would also be nice options. I just have not tried it with either yet.
Pumpkin Chia Carrot Cake
2½ c all-purpose flour
1½ t baking powder
1 t baking soda
½ t salt
2 t ground ginger
2 1/2 T ground cinnamon
½ t ground cardamom (I have made this with 1 t and loved it, but cardamom can be too much for some people.)
½ t ground nutmeg
¼ t ground mace
½ t cloves (I sometimes add 1 t because I love cloves!)
¼ t fine black pepper (Yep, pepper. You can also add a pinch or two of cayenne. It is good!)
1 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ c granulated sugar
½ c firmly packed light brown sugar (I have used dark brown sugar with great results.)
3 large eggs, separated
1 ½ t vanilla extract
1¼ cups fresh pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie puree)
2-2 ½ cups grated raw carrots (I do a 50/50 mix of fine and course)
Technically optional, but I like it better with it:
1 c boiling water
4 teabags (I have used oolong, orange pekoe, and Darjeeling)
Optional:
½ to 1 c chopped and toasted nuts (I use pecans, but hazelnuts or walnuts would also be nice.)
½ c raisins (I have not tried this. Raisins are gross! Haha! But if you like them, give it a go.)
½ c coconut (Again, I have not tried this. Coconut is fine, but I do not want in my cake.)
I would not advise adding pineapple unless you reduce the carrots and really strain it. I am allergic and think it is gross, so I have not tried this.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare three 8 inch round layer cake pans; lightly grease the pans with shortening and dust with flour. (I also line the bottom with greased and floured parchment paper, but that is not necessary.)
If you are adding the tea: Boil your water and let it cool slightly. Add your teabags. Steep for 5 minutes. You only need 1 T, so you need it to be strong. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg; sift or whisk together to mix. Set aside.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. While adding the sugars, stop the mixer occasionally to scrape the mixture off the paddle and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly.
- Add egg yolks one at a time, beating until thoroughly mixed.
- Add the vanilla (and 1T tea, if you are using it)
- With the mixer on low speed, Add ⅓ of the flour mixture until it is just incorporated. Add ½ of the pumpkin. Alternate between the flour mix and the pumpkin, making sure to scrape the sides as you go along. (*** If you are adding the tea, you can remove 1 T of the pumpkin to adjust for moisture content. I have forgotten this step and it turned out fine but a bit heavier.)
- Fold in the grated carrots (and any options you might want to add)
- In a medium mixing bowl and using clean beaters, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter.
Bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pans and smooth the surface. (I weigh them each out for this step, but you do not have to.) Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and place pans on a wire cooling rack to cool for 10 to 15 minutes then remove cake from the pans and place the cake on the wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
As I said in the other thread, I like my cake spicy. You can adjust the spices to your tastes, obviously.
You can use various fillings and icings.
Cream cheese “buttercream”
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/2 cup salted butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Mix in powdered sugar ½ c at a time. Add vanilla.
Ermine frosting
5 T flour
1 c whole milk
1 t vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 c unsalted butter, softened
1 c granulated sugar
- Over medium heat, whisk flour and milk in a small saucepan and heat to a simmer, stirring frequently until it becomes very thick and almost puddinglike.
- Remove from heat, whisk in vanilla and salt. Pour into a bowl to allow it to cool completely. Put plastic wrap on the surface to keep a skin from forming.
- Use a mixer to cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add the cooled flour mixture a little bit at a time. Continue to beat until the mixture becomes light and fluffy and resembles whipped cream.
Non-dairy Ermine Frosting (This is for you,
Lari
. I have not made it, but it was the best one I could find.)5 T flour
1 c non-dairy milk (I can see coconut milk working well here)
1 c vegan butter, softened (if it is unsalted, add a pinch of salt)
1c granulated sugar
1 t vanilla (I have seen cream cheese extract, which might make this a good alternative to cream cheese icing!)
Follow the directions for the regular ermine frosting.
Caramel ganache or caramel buttercream would also be nice options. I just have not tried it with either yet.
