Categories: Dessert
Ingredients
- CAKE:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 4 large eggs
- 1-1/2 cups vegetable oil (not canola)
- 4 medium carrots, shredded coarse (about 2 cups)
- (NOTE: if you use a food processor to shred the carrots, be sure to
- drain whatever juice there might be before using. Hand grating is
- best as the carrots must be coarse.)
- CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (can use 3 ounces)
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon good vanilla
- 1/2 cup confectioner' s sugar
- For the Ganache:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1-1/2 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably imported) chopped
- fine.
Directions
-
Make cake layers:
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour two 9 × 2 inch
-
round cake pans, knocking out excess flour. Into a bowl sift together
-
flour, granulated sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and
-
baking soda. In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together
-
eggs and oil on low speed until combined well. Add flour mixture and
-
beat until just combined. Stir in carrots and divide batter between
-
pans. Bake cake layers in middle of oven 50 minutes, or until a
-
tester comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans 10 minutes and
-
invert onto rack to cool completely.
-
Make Cream cheese frosting:
-
In a bowl with electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and butter
-
until smooth. Add vanilla and confectioner’ s sugar and beat until
-
creamy. Spread frosting on top of 1 cake layer and top with other layer.
-
For the Ganache:
-
In a small heavy saucepan combine the cream, the sugar and butter and
-
bring the mixture just to a boil. Put the chocolate in a small heat
-
proof bowl, over it pour the cream mixture and stir the mixture
-
gently until it is combined well and the chocolate is melted
-
completely. Let the ganache stand for 2 to 3 minutes or until it is
-
thickened slightly, and pour it over the top of the cake, smoothing
-
it with a spatula and letting the excess drip down the sides to coat
-
the cake completely. Let the cake stand for 10 to 15 minutes, or
-
until the ganache is set.