Carrot Cake with White Chocolate – Cream Cheese Icing

I have always loved carrot cake. I have used many recipes over the years, so I took the best part of each one and made it even better. This Carrot Cake with White Chocolate – Cream Cheese Icing is very moist because of the mandarin oranges soaked in rum. I love cream cheese icing, but, I am not fond of powdered sugar in the frosting, so I made a white chocolate-cream cheese icing instead. It is so great to work with and I love how it tastes with the carrot cake.

Carrot Cake:

Serves: 8-10
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Bake Time: 40 minutes

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons Apple Pie Spice (I use King Arthur Flour’s, it has cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice)
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cup safflower or canola oil
3 cups carrots, lightly packed, trimmed, peeled and coarsely grated
8 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
3 tablespoons dark rum
1 cup chopped pecans (optional), plus 1 cup lightly toasted for garnish
White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Icing (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350° F. Position the rack to the middle of the oven. Butter or spray the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans, and line the bottom with parchment paper.

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and Apple Pie Spice. Set aside.  In a small bowl, add the drained mandarin oranges and add the rum to soak. Set aside.
2.  In the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar and on the lowest speed, add 1 egg until smooth and incorporated. Add the remaining eggs, one at a time, and mix on low until smooth and incorporated. Shut off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and paddle.
3. Return the mixer to low and add the oil in a thin steady stream and continue to beat until fully mixed.
4. Add the flour mixture a little at a time, just until mixed. Add the carrots, rum soaked mandarin oranges and the nuts (nuts optional). Do not over-mix.
5. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
6. Bake until the cakes are firm and risen, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. About 40 minutes.
7. Transfer to a wire rack to let cool in the pans for 5 minutes.
8. Invert the cakes onto the rack and peel off the parchment paper. Use another rack or a large plate to invert the cakes so they are right side up. Let the cakes cool completely.
9. Once the cakes have cooled completely, make the icing.

White Chocolate-Cream Cheese Icing:

Makes: About 2 ½ cups, or enough to ice 14-16 cupcakes or frost an 8-inch or 9-inch cake.
Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

8 ounces white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli White Chocolate)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch of fine sea salt

1. Chop the white chocolate and melt in a double boiler over barely simmering water or in a microwave in 15-to-20 second increments, until barely softened.
2. Stir the chocolate until it is smooth. (White chocolate can overheat quickly, so keep the time short.) Let the chocolate cool to room temperature.
3. In a standup mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the butter and cream cheese until it is very smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed to blend evenly.
4. Add the chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt; continue to mix until very smooth, 1-2 minutes more.
5. Use the icing immediately or transfer the icing to a storage container, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Before using, allow the refrigerated icing to soften slightly and use the paddle attachment of a standup mixer to whip the icing until it is soft, smooth and spreadable.

RESOURCE LINKS:

USA Pan 9-inch Cake Pans:

Ghirardelli White Chocolate:

Parchment Paper 9-inch Rounds:

Kitchen Aid Mixer Stand Up:

Angled Spatula 13-inch: