Recipe courtesy of Benjamina Ebuehi
From:
Food Network Magazine
Masala-Chai Carrot Cake
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 8 to 10 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 10 servings
- Calories
- 857
- Total Fat
- 62
- Saturated Fat
- 17
- Carbohydrates
- 69
- Dietary Fiber
- 2
- Sugar
- 39
- Protein
- 9
- Cholesterol
- 134
- Sodium
- 358
- Total: 1 hr 20 min (plus cooling)
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
For the Cake:
2 English breakfast tea bags
1/4 cup boiling water
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 3/4 cups light muscovado sugar
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 to 3 1/4 cups grated carrots
For the Frosting:
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 cups cream cheese (12 ounces)
8 to 12 walnut halves, to decorate
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- To make the cake, add the tea bags to a mug of the boiling water and let them steep for 5 minutes before discarding the bags. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, pepper and cardamom. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add the muscovado sugar, eggs and tea, mixing until combined before stirring in the oil. Tip in the carrots and fold them in so they’re evenly distributed. Fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated, making sure there are no pockets of flour hiding near the bottom.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cakes are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, then turn them out onto a rack.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar with an electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes, or until pale and smooth. Beat in the cream cheese until combined.
- To assemble, place one cake layer on a cake stand. Spoon one-third of the frosting on top and push right to the edges. Place the second cake topside down in order to give you a flat top. Add the rest of the frosting, spreading it evenly with an offset spatula. Scatter the walnuts on top of the cake.
Cook’s Note
Once you’ve made this cake a couple times, feel free to adjust the spices to your taste and make it your own.