Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!

Today's the fifth day of the new year and I've been on a non-stop eating spree ever since the new year started! Cookies, cakes, keropok, mandarin oranges, nuts... You name it and you'll find it on my list! And of course, I'm definitely not complaining :P

On the second day of Chinese New Year, my extended family had a little gathering at my place to celebrate the festival. My mum, being a Kelantanese, ordered a spread of nasi dagang with a variety of dishes. There were danishes and pastries as well but I believe that no party is a party until there's cake! So, I offered to make two carrot cakes with cream cheese frosting!

For quite some time now, I've been on a quest to find the perfect carrot cake recipe. A few weeks before Chinese New Year, Gard Karlsen from gardkarlsen.com offered me his favourite carrot cake recipe after commenting on a carrot cake picture that I posted on Instagram! I read the recipe and instantly fell in love with the addition of coconut and the usage of pecans instead of walnuts. So, I adapted bits of the recipe, modified my usual recipe and baked the best carrot cake I've ever made!

I used a loaf pan instead of a cake pan because it made it easier for me to divide and distribute! 

I did a taste testing session with the new recipe a week before and instantly, I knew that I had make this again! The first time, I used coconut flakes but on the day itself, I used fine desiccated coconut instead. 

Carrot Cake
adapted from Merle's Kitchen and Gard Karlsen
(make 1 loaf tin or 20-inch round tin)

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon all-spice powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups finely grated carrot
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut/coconut flakes
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

1. Pre-heat the oven to 170 degree Celcius.
2. Beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla extract until well-combined. Add the sifted flour and baking powder as well as cinnamon powder, all-spice powder and salt into the wet mixture. Beat on low speed until well-mixed.
3. Stir in the carrots, coconut and pecans.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake on the centre rack for 45 minutes.
5. Stand the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out. Leave it to completely cool before frosting the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(enough for 2 cakes)

• 450g cream cheese (not softened)
• 120g butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 3-4 icing sugar, sifted (depending on the consistency of icing and sweetness desire)

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium­‐high until well combined and smooth. 
2. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Increase the speed and gradually beat in the icing sugar. Add the sugar according to the consistency and sweetness desired. Beat until smooth.
4. Frost the cooled cake.

I'll definitely make this cake again and again and again until someone tells me that they're sick of it! :P Anyway, I wish all my readers a prosperous, healthy & happy year and lets hope that more food will come our way!!

Again, HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!!