Nigel Slater's Carrot Cake

Those who know me, know that I do not have a big sweet tooth, and that of all the sweet foods out there cake tends to be my least favorite. But, I've always been a fan of carrot cake and this version by Nigel Slater is amazing. I've adapted the recipe slightly for an American kitchen. If you are a carrot cake purist, this recipe may not be for you, but if you are feeling a little adventurous this recipe provides an interesting twist on traditional carrot cake (hint: think orange and mascarpone). For the cookbook lovers out there, if you haven't picked up a copy of Slater's cookbook Tender you are seriously missing out.

Ingredients:
3 eggs, separated
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sunflower (or canola) oil
1 cup muscovado (or light brown) sugar
5 ounces carrots, grated
Juice of ½ lemon
1¼ cups walnuts, chopped
For the frosting
8 ounces mascarpone
8 ounces cream cheese
1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar
Zest of a medium orange
¼ cup walnuts halves

Preheat your oven to 350F and spray two (8- or 9-inch) cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.

Start by sifting together all the dry ingredients and set aside. Then beat the oil and sugar in a stand mixer until combined; then, add the egg yolks one at a time. Next, add the carrots, lemon juice, and walnuts, and mix until combined. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and combine thoroughly. The batter will be very thick.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the batter until you see no more whites. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting the cake.

To make the frosting, combine the mascarpone, cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, and orange zest. To frost the cake, start by cutting a piece of parchment paper roughly the size of the cake plate. Then, cut the parchment paper in half and place both halves on the cake plate, so that they meet in the middle of the plate and do not overlap. Place the first cake round on top of the parchment paper and spread 1/4 of the frosting evenly across the cake round. Then place the second cake round on top. Spread another 1/4 of the frosting evenly across the top and the remaining 1/2 of the frosting around the sides. When you are done frosting the cake gently remove the parchment paper (this keeps the plate clean). 

Bon appetit!