- 1
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup Bourbon
- 3 tablespoons apple cider molasses (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 4 large eggs
- 8 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
- 1 1/2 cups walnuts, ground
- FOR THE FROSTING:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2-8 ounces packages cream cheese
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preparation
Step 1
FOR THE CAKE:
In small bowl, combine raisins, bourbon and cider molasses.
Cover and set aside for 2 hours, preferably a full day.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour three 9-inch round baking pans.
In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves; set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed, until creamed.
Add the eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated, scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl between each addition.
Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture just until combined. Do not over-beat.
Drain raisins, reserving the bourbon/cider liquid.
With rubber spatula, fold in 3 cups carrots, the raisins, and 1 cup walnuts.
Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake cake layers 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean.
Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes.
Invert cakes onto wire racks and remove pan; cool cakes.
In small saucepan, combine reserved bourbon/cider and remaining carrots. Cook over high heat 2 to 3 minutes or just until carrots soften and most of bourbon evaporates. Set aside to cool completely.
FROSTING:
In the bowl of your electric mixer, on medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Slowly beat in confectioners' sugar until well combined.
To assemble cake, place 1 cake layer on serving plate and spread one-fourth of frosting over top.
Repeat with the second layer.
Place third layer evenly on top of the other two. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle bourbon-carrot shreds on top and bottom edges of the frosted cake. Sprinkle reserved ½ cup of walnuts around inside edge of the carrots on the cake top.