"Birthday" Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting And Cointreau Carrots

Serves: 4

Terry Wiza

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

49

Spice

46

Sweetness

51

Sourness

41

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 tsp

Baking Soda

1 cup

Buttermilk

1 cup

Molasse

4 large

Egg

1.5 cups

Dark Brown Sugar

1 tsp

Lemon Zest

1 medium

Carrot

2 tbsps

Sugar

1 cup

Cointreau

Directions:

1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

2

Butter a jelly roll pan and line with parchment

3

Set aside

4

Take the carrots and chop into large pieces, then mince in a food processor until you have a fine texture

5

Drain pineapple and finely chop walnuts

6

Set aside

7

In a large mixing bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices together

8

In a separate bowl mix buttermilk, molasses, eggs, vegetable oil and dark brown sugar together

9

Now combine wet and dry ingredients together to make a batter then fold in the carrots, pineapple and walnuts

10

Pour into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until cake is set and springs back when gently pressed in the middle

11

Remove the pan from the oven and allow cake to cool on a rack while you prepare the frosting and cointreau carrots (recipes below)

12

Once the cake has cooled, cut into three rectangles by cutting the cake lengthwise twice

13

Stack the cake up into three tiers with cream cheese frosting in between each layer

14

Frost the outside of the entire finished cake - smoothing off the edges and corners (an offset spatula works well)

15

Top with Cointreau carrot rounds and drizzle a little of the syrup on top as well

16

Using a kitchen mixer, combine cream cheese and butter until blended and you have a smooth, light texture

17

Add the vanilla, lemon zest and powdered sugar and beat until combined

18

Continue to beat until smooth and glossy - about 7 minutes

19

Slice carrot up into rounds

20

Add carrot, butter, sugar, cointreau and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat

21

Bring to a simmer and reduce until syrupy - about 5 minutes