Carrot Cake with Goat-Cheese Buttercream Recipe
Photo: © 2017 by Eric Medsker
Ingredients
For the cake:8 Tbsp. (1 stick) cool unsalted butter, cut into small chunks, plus additional for the sheet pan
2 1/4 cups cake flour, plus additional for the sheet pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
5 large eggs
2 cups shredded carrots (about 12 ounces peeled medium carrots)
1 1/2 cups shredded parsnips (about 10 ounces peeled medium parsnips)
2 tsp. finely minced orange zest
1/2 tsp. orange extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (about 4 1/2 ounces)
For the buttercream: 12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
4 ounces soft goat cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup full-fat sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 to 3 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
Position the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°. Generously butter and lightly flour the inside of a 13- x 18-inch lipped sheet pan.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl until uniform.
Using a handheld electric mixer, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars and the oil in a large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Scrape down the inside of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the carrots, parsnips, orange zest, orange extract and vanilla; beat until uniform.
Turn off the mixer, add the flour mixture and beat at low speed just until there are no dry specks of flour. Scrape down and remove the beaters (or paddle). Fold in the nuts with a silicone spatula. Using an offset spatula, spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake until set and golden brown, and until a toothpick, or cake tester, inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.
Make the buttercream: Using a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese, goat cheese and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
Turn off the mixer; add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar. Beat at low speed until combined. Continue beating, adding more confectioners' sugar in 1/4-cup increments until the frosting is spreadable and can hold its shape on the side of a spatula. Using an offset spatula, spread and smooth the frosting over the cooled cake.
From All-Time Favorite Sheet Cakes & Slab Pies. Copyright © 2017 by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. Photograph copyright © 2017 by Eric Medsker.
For the cake:
For the buttercream:
Directions
Position the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°. Generously butter and lightly flour the inside of a 13- x 18-inch lipped sheet pan.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl until uniform.
Using a handheld electric mixer, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, both sugars and the oil in a large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Scrape down the inside of the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the carrots, parsnips, orange zest, orange extract and vanilla; beat until uniform.
Turn off the mixer, add the flour mixture and beat at low speed just until there are no dry specks of flour. Scrape down and remove the beaters (or paddle). Fold in the nuts with a silicone spatula. Using an offset spatula, spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake until set and golden brown, and until a toothpick, or cake tester, inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.
Make the buttercream: Using a handheld mixer, or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the butter, cream cheese, goat cheese and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until the sugar has dissolved, about 3 minutes. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
Turn off the mixer; add 2 cups of the confectioners' sugar. Beat at low speed until combined. Continue beating, adding more confectioners' sugar in 1/4-cup increments until the frosting is spreadable and can hold its shape on the side of a spatula. Using an offset spatula, spread and smooth the frosting over the cooled cake.
From All-Time Favorite Sheet Cakes & Slab Pies. Copyright © 2017 by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. Photograph copyright © 2017 by Eric Medsker.
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