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 | 47 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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a whisk and a spoon 
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 #
Looks fabulous! I really like pineapple in my carrot cakes, so if I wanted to add some to the original recipe, how much would you suggest using? Thank you!
Comment by lifeilluminated— April 11, 2014 #
Thanks! I have not tried adding pineapple to this recipe, but I’d probably substitute 1/2 cup of the grated carrot for 1/2 cup of well-drained crushed canned pineapple.
Comment by steph (whisk/spoon)— April 11, 2014 #