Birthday Baking- Carrot Cake

I've finally come around to starting my blog! Like everyone else who starts one, I hope I keep up with mine and not let it fall to the wayside. Keep your fingers crossed for me! My goal with this blog is to share recipes with family, friends, and readers, so with your readership, hopefully this blog will be successful.

On to my first recipe!

This past weekend I celebrated one of my really good friend's birthday, and as I do for all my favorites' birthdays, I made her a special birthday cake! Birthdays are a big deal for me, so to make my family and friends feel special and loved, I bake! I never make a normal chocolate or vanilla cake because that's just boring. It's always something that I've imagined and want the excuse to experiment :). Since my friend does not eat chocolate by choice (odd I know...but I love her!), I did ask her what she wanted and she requested a carrot cake. First thing that popped into my head was gajaar ka halwa (carrot halwa)! I made a quick call to my mom and got the proper technique on making this halwa and went on from there!

Halwa is a traditional pakistani/Indian dessert made with vegetables, fruits, or grains. This particular one I am referring to is made with carrots and ricotta cheese. It adds a south Asian twist to a traditional carrot cake and I felt that this cake would suit my friend perfectly.

Unfortunately in my hurry to leave the house in time for her birthday brunch I was not able to take a nice picture, but trust me, this cake looks and tastes delicious and is perfect with an evening cup of chai :)

*I found a not-so-great picture on my phone in a last minute attempt*



"Gajar ka halwa" (Carrot halwa) Carrot Cake w/ cream cheese frosting:

Carrot Halwa:

3 c. shredded carrots
2 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. whole milk ricotta
1 tsp. ground cardamom seeds
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 c. slivered almonds

In a medium saucepan, on medium-low heat, cook carrots with cardamom seeds, cinnamon, ginger,and nutmeg in milk until milk reduces down to about 1/2 cup and carrots are tender. This will take some time, so be patient, I promise it will come together.

Add ricotta and almonds, and continue cooking the carrot mixture until the milk has cooked off.

Set aside.

Cake:

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. light brown sugar
3 eggs, room temp.
1/2 c. milk, room temp.
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350*

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix together milk, cream, and vanilla in a separate bowl.

In your mixer, beat sugars and butter 'til light in color and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition.

On low speed, add flour mixture in 3 increments, alternating with milk mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down bowl after each addition.

Add carrot halwa mixture into cake batter until incorporated.

Spray your cake pan(s) (I used 3-9" circle cake pans), with oil or butter spray and sprinkle with flour. Distribute cake batter into pans and bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3-3 1/2 c. powdered sugar
3 tbs. heavy cream

In your mixer, mix together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar in increments on low speed until fully incorporated. Increase speed to medium and add heavy cream 1 tbs. at a time until desired consistency is reached. Fluff frosting on highest speed.


For my friend's cake, I made a 2 layer cake, and saved the 3rd layer to take to my parents, but you could easily make a 3 layer cake for added height. I topped her cake with finely crushed almonds and pistachios.

Enjoy!