Mini Carrot Cake Tortes

By carvalhohm2

Ingredients

• FROSTING:
• 2 English Breakfast or other black tea bags
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• Toasted chopped walnuts, optional

Details

Servings 15
Preparation time 50mins
Cooking time 75mins
Adapted from tasteofhome.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place tea bags in a small bowl; add boiling water. Cover and steep for 3-5 minutes. Discard tea bags; set tea aside. Line a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan with parchment paper and coat the paper with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the sugar, oil, eggs, tea, honey, syrup and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and cloves; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in the carrots, walnuts and raisins. Transfer to prepared pan (pan will be full).

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan and discard paper.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth.

Using a metal 3-in. round cutter, cut 15 circles from cake. Cut each circle in half horizontally; place cake bottoms on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Pipe frosting over each. Top with remaining cake layers and frosting; sprinkle with walnuts if desired. Store in the refrigerator.
Yield: 15 mini tortes.