Carrot Tea Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Martha Stewart
Prep: 15 minutes Total: 1 hour plus cooling
Grated carrot is the secret to the moistness and mellow sweetness of this loaf cake topped with thick swirls of tangy frosting.
Ingredients
Serves 8.
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup packed grated carrots (from about 2 carrots)
* 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
* 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 5-by-9-inch (6-cup) loaf pan. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in carrots. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan; bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan 5 minutes. Turn cake out onto a wire rack, and let cool completely.
3. Make frosting: Using mixer, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until fluffy. Frost top of cooled cake.