Three-Layer Carrot Cake

Serves: 3

Mohammad Wiegand

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

35

Spice

46

Sweetness

55

Sourness

36

mins

Prep time (avg)

4.6

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Pecan Halve

2 tsps

Baking Powder

1.5 tsps

Baking Soda

4 large

Egg

Directions:

1

Make the cake: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F

2

Brush three 9-inch-round cake pans with vegetable oil and line the bottoms with parchment paper

3

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, about 10 minutes

4

Let cool, then pulse in a food processor until very finely chopped

5

Combine the pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and granulated sugar in a large bowl

6

In another bowl, whisk the vegetable oil, lemon zest, eggs and 1/2 cup marmalade

7

Stir in the carrots, then fold the carrot mixture into the flour mixture until just combined

8

Divide among the prepared pans and spread evenly (it won't look like a lot of batter, but the cakes will rise in the oven)

9

Put 2 pans on the upper oven rack and the third pan on the lower rack

10

Bake until the cakes bounce back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, switching the position of the pans halfway through

11

Transfer the pans to racks until cool enough to handle, then invert the cakes onto the racks to cool completely

12

Remove the parchment

13

Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a bowl with a mixer until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed

14

Beat in the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt until smooth

15

Put 1 cake layer on a platter

16

Spread with 1 tablespoon marmalade, then spread about 3/4 cup frosting over the marmalade

17

Top with another cake layer, marmalade and frosting

18

Spread the final cake layer with a thin layer of frosting

19

(This is the crumb coat; it doesn't have to be perfect

20

) Refrigerate 1 hour, then cover with the remaining frosting

21

Swirl some marmalade into the top of the cake

22

Refrigerate until ready to serve

23

Photograph by Con Poulos