A Better Carrot Cake

Name: A Better Carrot Cake
Ingredients: 1 cup Clarified Butter Or Ghee (from 1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter, See Instructions Below For Preparation); 2 cups All-purpose Flour; 1-1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed); 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar; 2 teaspoons Baking Soda; 1 teaspoon Baking Powder; 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cardamom; 1/2 teaspoons Fresh Ground Nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoons Ground Ginger; 1 teaspoon Salt; 4 whole Eggs, Beaten; 1/3 cups Buttermilk; 1 whole Vanilla Bean Plus 1 Teaspoon Extract OR 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract; 1 whole Orange, Zest Only; 3 cups Finely Grated Carrot; _____; FOR THE FROSTING:; 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Softened; 1/2 cups Salted Butter, Softened; 1 whole Vanilla Bean OR 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract; 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice; 2/3 cups To 3 Cups Icing Sugar, As Needed

23 ingredients

11 steps

Ingredients

1 cup Clarified Butter Or Ghee (from 1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter, See Instructions Below For Preparation)
2 cups All-purpose Flour
1-1/2 cup Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons Ground Cardamom
1/2 teaspoons Fresh Ground Nutmeg
1/4 teaspoons Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Salt
4 whole Eggs, Beaten
1/3 cups Buttermilk
1 whole Vanilla Bean Plus 1 Teaspoon Extract OR 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1 whole Orange, Zest Only
3 cups Finely Grated Carrot
_____
FOR THE FROSTING:
8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 cups Salted Butter, Softened
1 whole Vanilla Bean OR 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
2/3 cups To 3 Cups Icing Sugar, As Needed

Directions

1

1. Prepare clarified butter or ghee: Heat 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter over medium heat until it begins to simmer, turn heat to low. Allow to cook, skimming froth away from the top as you cook. This is the whey. You can discard it or use it in cooking elsewhere. When the butter is clear and a vibrant yellow with particles on the bottom of the pot beginning to turn brown, remove from heat. Strain through a few layers of cheesecloth to remove any stray particles. Done!
2

2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans with butter or shortening. Line bottoms with parchment paper, grease the paper and then coat in flour.
3

3. In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, ensuring the brown sugar is not clumped up.
4

4. In a seperate bowl, mix together the eggs, buttermilk, clarified butter, vanilla (and bean, if using) and orange zest. Stir in the carrots.
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5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, but do not overmix.
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6. Pour the batter evenly between the two cake pans, and bake side by side in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.
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7. When done, allow to cool for 10 minutes in pans. You may need to run a knife around the edges to dislodge the cake. Turn upside down on cooling racks and peel paper off if needed. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
8

For the frosting:
9

1. Beat cream cheese and butter together until completely mixed with no lumps!
10

2. Add vanilla and lemon juice.
11

3. Add sugar gradually until the desired consistency is reached. Frost cake immediately. (Makes enough frosting for this cake, prep time 10 to 15 minutes.)