Saffron-infused Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
KitchenAid guest, Jimmy Wong was kind enough to share one of his favourite family recipes with us.
“This saffron carrot cake with cream cheese frosting has become one of my all-time favourite recipes and is worth passing down the generations. I’ve made this cake for my family and friends and it has become their favourite. Enjoy!” – Jimmy
Equipment
7-inch round baking tin
Spatula
Piping bag
KitchenAid Stand mixer / mixing bowl
Grater
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
1 cup sifted flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch of saffron (8-12 strands, soaked overnight)
1 tsp bicarb soda
A pinch of salt
1.5 cups grated raw carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil
Cream Cheese Frosting
300g cream cheese
190g unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
Method
First line the 7-inch round cake tin with baking paper by spraying the tin with a bakers spray and using cut baking paper to line. Preheat the oven to 180c.
Sift all dry ingredients into your mixing bowl, using the flat beater on low, start adding the canola oil, then eggs one at a time. Add in the saffron, vanilla paste, then the carrots and mix for 1 minute. Lastly, add in the walnuts for 10 seconds to break down some of the whole walnuts in the mixer.
Place the mix into the lined cake tin and into the oven for 50 minutes, ensuring you test that the cake is thoroughly cooked by using a skewer in the centre of the cake.
While the cake is baking, make the cream cheese frosting. In the mixing bowl, put the softened cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl, using the flat beater again. Mix until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla paste and slowly add in the sifted caster sugar. Mix until sugar is well dissolved.
Place just over half the mix into a piping bag. The remainder will be spread in the centre of the cake.
To assemble the cake take the cooled cake and with a sharp knife cut horizontally in the centre. Spread the cream cheese frosting in the middle.
For the frosting on top cut a 5mm wide tip on the disposable piping bag (if you don’t have piping bags, use a large ziploc bag) and start piping teardrops onto the top of the cake. Smear the remaining frosting onto the side of the cake, using a small spatula in an upward motion from the bottom.
Finally, finely chop up some walnuts and sprinkle to the top of the cake. Chill and serve.
