Tuesdays with Dorie: Bill’s Big Carrot Cake
April 22, 2008 at 5:08 am | Posted in cakes & tortes, groups, layer cakes, sweet things, tuesdays with dorie | 45 Comments
Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting…I probably don’t need to say much more than that.
But of course I will. Carrot cake is a favorite here, but not made nearly enough, so I was glad when Amanda of slow like honey gave me the excuse I needed to get grating, by choosing Bill’s Big Carrot Cake as this week’s TWD recipe. This one is *big* and loaded with carrots (of course), coconut, walnuts and dried cherries.
As per usual, I set out to do a half recipe of this cake, only to realize that I don’t have three 6-inch cake pans. Crud. I thought about making two larger layers and possibly splitting them into four, or using my 6-inch springform as the third pan, but I decided that this amount would probably fit perfectly into my quarter-sized sheet pan (my favorite and most useful sheet pan). So instead of a round cake, I baked a sheet cake that I cut into three strips (the baking time was reduced, of course). Once layered up with icing, it made a rectangular cake that I could cut into thin slices or chubby squares.
Armed with some tips from a great post by Joy, I made a gorgeous cream cheese frosting. I flavored mine with vanilla bean paste and orange zest, rather than the lemon juice that Dorie uses. This cake is tall, and moist and delicious…a winner of a carrot cake. And since I just did a half recipe, I made the whole thing, cake and frosting, easily by hand.
You can find this recipe in Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan, and on slow like honey. Thanks Amanda, and of course thanks Bill! Now go check out the TWD Blogroll!
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Gorgeous cake. I took the rectangular approach to Dorie’s “Perfect Party” cake for last month’s Daring Baker challenge. I love how easily it slices.
Comment by Dolores — April 22, 2008 #
This looks gorgeous, love love love carrot cake and icing – even better!!!!!
Whose Bill though?????
Comment by Rachel@fairycakeheaven — April 22, 2008 #
Yours looks fantastic! Big and beautiful indeed. I won’t lie, the main reason why I chose this cake was because of the frosting. Who could resist piles and piles of sweet whipped cream cheese frosting?!
Comment by amanda — April 22, 2008 #
You’re so creative when baking, I love that you made this in a sheet pan and stacked them! It looks absolutely fabulous!
Comment by Chelle — April 22, 2008 #
Mmm that carrot cake looks so deliciously moist and lush. I love the multi tired icing too-one can never have too much cream cheese icing I feel
Comment by Lorraine E — April 22, 2008 #
I think that the use of the words “chubby squares” sold me. Seriously. It looks beautiful!
Comment by Caitlin — April 22, 2008 #
Beautiful!
Comment by Jenny — April 22, 2008 #
As always, you pictures are beautiful! It looks delicious and I know it is because I just ate some myself!
Comment by Mary Ann — April 22, 2008 #
Looks lovely! I like the shape – different spin on an old classic. this looked delish as I worked through it. I can’t wait to hear the verdict of my cake’s recipients…
Comment by Chris — April 22, 2008 #
Gorgeous carrot cake. But I expect nothing less from you! Great job as always!
Clara @ I♥food4thought
Comment by CB — April 22, 2008 #
looks beautiful! love the curled coconut and walnuts on top.
Comment by mimi — April 22, 2008 #
Your pictures look fabulous. I christened my new 6″ cake pans with this recipe. Like you, I only have two, so I made a third of the recipe. It worked pretty well. Like you said, it’s pretty easy to mix a small amount of batter by hand.
Comment by Di — April 22, 2008 #
A chunkier carrot cake I have not seen. My hubby’s favorite cake, so I am inspired. Thank you.
Comment by Nina — April 22, 2008 #
Yum…vanilla bean and orange frosting.
Comment by peabody — April 22, 2008 #
YEAY! Looks amazing, just like ALL your photos. Wasn’t it delicious? It’s difficult having it sit in the fridge, I must admit. Gorgeous job!
Comment by rebekka — April 22, 2008 #
Your cake looks fantastic! Great pictures. Well done! I made the full recipe and mixed my batter by hand as well. Mine turned out great. Nice to know you can reduce the recipe with no problems.
Comment by Marie — April 22, 2008 #
Looks beautiful!
Comment by April — April 22, 2008 #
I like the idea of the sheet cake cut and made into layers. It looks beautiful.
Comment by annmartina — April 23, 2008 #
Wow, it looks amazing!
Comment by Amy — April 23, 2008 #
Lovely presentation! I think I’ll make my next carrot cake square, it’s so elegant!
Comment by LyB — April 23, 2008 #
Those pics should be in a magazine!
Comment by Annemarie — April 23, 2008 #
I LOVE YOUR CAKE!! Look how great that looks! Nice going!
Comment by Holly — April 23, 2008 #
Mmmm…. this looks delicious. I am picking up Dorie’s book today. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Comment by Modern June — April 23, 2008 #
urs look sooo good! somehow the cross sectional view of the treasures within the soft moist cake look so enticing. pity i didn’t get to take a shot of mine from the insides!
got devoured before i cld get to them. *sobz*
Comment by Sihan — April 23, 2008 #
As always, your carrot cake looks beautiful! I love how you decorated it on top.
Comment by Erin — April 23, 2008 #
I love how you chose to present the cake. Great photography too!
Comment by Caroline — April 23, 2008 #
so pretty! good idea on the sheet cake, it looks perfect
Comment by kim — April 23, 2008 #
That’s a great idea of making a sheet cake and then slice & stack them up! Why didn’t I think of that….
Gorgeous pic, btw!
Comment by piggy — April 23, 2008 #
Great idea with the sheet pan!
Comment by Melissa — April 23, 2008 #
This looks insanely delicious! I love your photography and the idea to use a square pan is excellent. I have to invest in a pan that size as well. Great job!
Comment by Tracy — April 23, 2008 #
Beautiful close ups! And gorgeous cake!
Comment by Jayne — April 23, 2008 #
Scrumptions looking cake. Dried cherries sounds like a good idea and the bean paste as a frosting ingredient. Real pro photograph.
Comment by Heather Peskin — April 23, 2008 #
Another show stopping dessert!
Comment by Gigi — April 23, 2008 #
Your cake looks beautiful. I love the chunks of coconut on top!
Comment by Shari — April 23, 2008 #
Gorgeous pictures!!!! You do a great job with them!
Comment by Gretchen Noelle — April 23, 2008 #
Yum! I love toasted coconut flakes. They have a nice slight crunch, and they look so animated. love it
Comment by danielle — April 23, 2008 #
The decoration looks awesome—very creative.
Comment by emily227 — April 23, 2008 #
WOW, it is fantastic! I wish I would have had time to do this one .. can’t wait to try it out!
Comment by Chez US — April 24, 2008 #
I love the streamlined look of your square cake. Job well done!
Comment by Jennifer — April 24, 2008 #
Yours looks great too..I can almost smell carrot cake in my office…
Comment by marye — April 24, 2008 #
WOW! Very nice close-up shots! Mine are all gone!
Comment by Donna — April 25, 2008 #
Wow. Looks fantastic. I baked my in 8 inch square pans and thought about layering it up to four…..but was too lazy.
Comment by Sharon — April 26, 2008 #
great job! it was really good though, so you should have made the full recipe
Comment by Jaime — April 28, 2008 #
WOW. what great pictures. your cake looks decadent!
Comment by Zakia — April 28, 2008 #
Lovely picture and great job! I’d have never thought of cutting a layer cake into three strips.
Comment by Natalie — May 1, 2008 #