Carrot cake is not just a delicious fall dessert and perfect for Thanksgiving, it has particular significance in my life. It has been my favorite for years. When Southern Living came out with this recipe in March 2015 I was determined that it would be my birthday cake that year. And, needless to say, I would be the one to make it. 😋 I couldn't wait to make it again this year!
What sets this apart from some other carrot cake recipes is the inclusion of Granny Smith apple and coconut. It also calls for 2 tsp of baking soda and no baking powder, making it super light and fluffy - not as dense as most. I for one, love the rich texture and the "crumbliness". It's like a party in your mouth!
This year I decided to use wraps around the cake pans to prevent them from doming. I made my own with paper towels and foil. The grave mistake I made was in squeezing three 9" cake pans in my oven at the same time. The two that were against the sides of the oven baked way faster on those sides because of the extra heat against them, causing both of those cakes to rise unevenly. Big time. The one in the front/middle was fine and responded perfectly to my homemade wraps (see pic below). So, I just tried to be creative in stacking them in hopes it would all turn out even when I was ready to ice....
Well the saga continued... The slanted cakes were not uniform and once I started icing, the cake wanted to slide, so I put it in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up some. I then pushed it together with my hands, then touched up the icing. I sprinkled pecans all over it - even the sides- to mask any imperfections! After such antics, who has time for carrot curls on the top?! Maybe another day.
I learned a valuable lesson about heat conduction and cake pans that day! It's probably best to use 8" pans or even 2 pans and keep the batter for a single cake layer or cupcakes later. Or if you have extra time, bake them in 2 batches. Through all the drama, the cake was still awesome and a celebration was had! It's good to note here that it freezes well, so if you don't have many to bake it for, go ahead and indulge and freeze the rest!
Just about every year I make this dessert as a gift to myself on my birthday, cake drama and all. And this year, it was a big one - Birthday, that is! 🤣🎉
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