Anita’s Rum Raisin Carrot Spring Cake

Ingredients for the Cake

2 1/2 cups All-Purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 Teaspoon baking powder

4 large carrots, coarsely grated

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon, ground

1/3 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

1 Teaspoon allspice, ground

3 large eggs

1/2 cup rum

3/4 cup raisins(soaked in rum)

1/4 cup golden raisins(soaked in rum)

1/2 cup sweetened coconut + 2 Tablespoons, shredded

1/2 cup walnuts + 2 Tablespoons, finely chopped

1 teaspoon orange extract

zest of 1 orange

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325 grades Fahrenheit. Spray using baking spray a Spring form 9-inch pan. Set aside.
2. Soak black and golden raisins in 1/2 cup of rum for about an hour. Set aside.
3. Place 1/2 cup of coconut into a baking pan with parchment paper and introduce into the preheated oven. Toast them for about 10 minutes. Set aside.
4. Place 1/2 cup of walnuts into a baking pan with parchment paper and toast them in the oven at the same time of coconut for about 10 minutes, until slightly golden. Set aside.
5. Use a large bowl and cream together with an electric mixer or hand whisker vegetable oil, eggs, heavy cream, white, light brown sugar, and orange extract.
6. Incorporate all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice,  orange zest and mix until well combined.
7. Add soaked raisins with left rum, grated carrots, 1/2 cup of shredded toasted coconut, and 1/2 cup of the toasted walnut. Mix with a spatula until all ingredients are well incorporated.
8. Bake batter for about 45 to 50 minutes until golden. Let the cake cool in pan for about 15 minutes, and then remove from spring-form pan and let cool completely before icing.

Frosting Ingredients for the Cake

2 Sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

16 ounces of cream cheese, softened

3-4 cups of powder sugar

2 Tablespoon of coconut previously toasted (for decorating)

2 Tablespoon of toasted walnuts (for decorating)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Using and electric mixer cream together softened butter and cream cheese for about 3 to 4 minutes until creamy and fluffy.
2. Add vanilla and slowly on low speed incorporate powder sugar. Increase speed and beat until well incorporated. Position some parchment paper underneath cool cake to be able to frost sides and top of the cake easier.
3. Sprinkle 2 Tablespoons each of toasted coconut and walnuts on sides and borders all around.
4. Can be used Candy melt chocolate ( I had white only, so I mixed yellow and red coloring using food coloring and created with a spatula the shape of the carrots, made some sugar roses too).
5. You can leave it simple and it’s equally amazing. Enjoy this delicious homemade one of a kind Carrot Cake. Have a very sweet and Happy Easter! Have a piece or more 🙂