If you don't live in Ontario, the home of the LCBO Food & Drink Magazine, you may want to consider relocating, or well, at least frequenting their website with all of the fabulous recipes archived. I don't normally do two of the same type of cake back-to-back on the blog, and I definitely don't often make two carrot cakes in one day (it was almost 3, and I'm not even joking!), but I really couldn't help myself. Basically, here's the sequence of events that lead to two carrot cakes: 1. I adore everything about carrot cake. 2. I love new & fresh takes on carrot cake. 3. A bunch of readers asked me to blog a delicious carrot cake recipe. 4. I got the new LCBO Food & Drink Spring 2011 magazine with an entire feature on carrot cakes, including 6 gourmet variations. 5. I bought a shiny new food processor Tuesday (which was when I chose to do as many as I could fit into the following 48-hours). As much as I could have kept shredding carrots in pure bliss (my food blogger friends warned me of the food processor's unrelenting and addictive powers, and they were right.), I decided to stop at 2 cakes and strongly encourage you to go pick up this magazine (complimentary in all LCBO {Liquor Control Board of Ontario} locations) to see all of the incredible recipes for yourself, or, if you're not from Ontario, bribe someone to send you one, or, wait until they post the recipes from this issue on their website. If you happened to read my recent post, Mascarpone Meringue Cake, you'll recall that I love every recipe the folks at this magazine feature.
Yes, I ate this piece. 
And, heck yes, I ate this one too then squealed in delight. One of my favourite parts: the zingy and unexpected (well, it would have been unexpected had I not actually made the cake myself) chunks of crystallized ginger. I think I'll make this photo my screensaver indefinitely so I can reminisce. Actually, I should mention that I mimicked one of the the magazine's incredible photos of this cake in this photo above -- I never do that, but I couldn't resist. The photos in the magazine were shot by my latest photographer crush, Rob Fiocca. If you're interested in food photography, you must check out his portfolio; it is awe-inspiring. I really wanted to take the extreme close-up of this slice because it really showcases its textural deliciousness. I feel the need to share with you that those are engineered crumbs--I had to try several times to them to the plate from another piece because the cake was so moist that I could not get crumbs to fall naturally. Oh my. Please make this and tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way? Have a wonderful Easter from all of us here in Sweetapolita-land!
Zingy Orange Ginger Carrot Cake with White Chocolate Icing {click here for printable recipe}
Ingredients
- 5 cups (1.25 L) grated carrots
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped crystallized ginger or stem ginger in syrup
- 1 orange
- 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) baking powder
- 1 tsp (5 mL) baking soda
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt 1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger
- 1 cup (250 mL) butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
- 2/3 cup (150 mL) milk
White Chocolate Icing
- 1 cup (250 mL) butter, at room temperature
- 6 squares (6 oz/175 g) white chocolate
- 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla 3/4 tsp (4 mL) almond extract
- Generous pinch of salt
- 3 cups(750 mL) sifted icing sugar
- Garnish with Chopped crystallized ginger
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350° F (180° C). Spray or lightly oil two 9-inch (1.5-L) round cake pans.
2. Grate carrots using a food processor. Measure out 5 cups (1.25 L). Finely chop ginger. Grate peel from orange. Set aside separately. Place flour in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ginger. Stir until blended. Sprinkle in orange peel while stirring.
3. Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually beat in sugar, then beat on medium for 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Don't worry if it seems curdled. Beating on low, gradually add about a third of the flour mixture. Beat until just mixed, followed by half the milk. Repeat additions, ending with flour. Sprinkle chopped ginger and stir to distribute. Stir in carrots.
4. Divide batter between pans. Spread as evenly as possible to sides of pan. To remove air pockets, bang pans on counter 5 to 6 times. Bake until centres seem set when lightly tapped, 30 to 35 minutes. Place on a baking rack to cool. After about 15 minutes, turn cakes out of pans and cool completely on racks. It's best to bake cakes a day ahead of icing and leave at room temperature overnight.
5. To make icing, beat butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until very creamy. Place chocolate in a small microwave bowl. Microwave on medium for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir, then microwave on medium for another minute. Stir until smooth. Or on stovetop heat chocoolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir, often. Gradually beat into butter. Add vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Gradually beat in icing sugar.
6. To assemble, palce 1 cake, flat-side up, on a platter.Generously spread with icing, leaving a narrow border of cake around the edge. Top with the second cake, flat-side down, and gently press down. Smoothly spread icing over the sides of the cake, then the top. Garnish top of cake with chopped crystallized ginger, or some White Crunchy Sprinkles or Edible Gold Glitter. It's best to refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.
Sweetapolita's Notes:
1. I added about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of water to the mixed icing and then beat on high speed for about another minute.
2. I weigh the cake pans filled with batter to ensure they are exactly the same, then use a small offset palette knife to spread the batter evenly in pans.
3. I refrigerate cakes for about an hour before frosting, then do a crumb coat, followed by a final topping of icing.
Good luck & enjoy!
