Layered Carrot Cake Recipe

This elegant recipe is borrowed from Saveur magazine. We've added our vanilla extract and vanilla beans. The extra vanilla brings a warm and sensual aroma and flavor to this extravagant dessert.

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup unsalted butter; plus more to coat the pans
  
• 1¼ cups flour; plus more to coat the pans
  
• 1¼ cups whole wheat flour
  
• 1 tbsp baking powder
  
• 1 tbsp baking soda
  
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  
• 2 tsp ground ginger
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• ½ tsp ground allspice
  
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
  
• ½ cup finely ground almonds
  
• 3 cups finely grated carrots
  
• 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
  
• 3 eggs, separated
  
• ½ cup plain yogurt
  
• ¼ cup orange juice
  
• 1 tbsp orange zest
  
• 2 tbsp Rodelle Gourmet Vanilla Extract
  

Glaze and Icing

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
  
• ½ cup sugar
  
• ¼ cup buttermilk
  
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
  
• 1 Rodelle Gourmet Vanilla Bean; split, reserve the bean pod
  
• ¾ tsp baking soda
  
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• ½ cup mascarpone cheese
  
• 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
  
• 2 tbsp dark or spiced rum
  
• 1 tbsp orange zest
  
• 1 pound confectioner’s sugar
  
• 2 cups finely chopped walnuts
  

Directions

Cake

• Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour three 9 inch round cake pans; set aside. Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until it browns. Chill until solid.
  
• In a bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and allspice. Finely grind coconut and almonds in a food processor. Combine nut mixture, carrots, and flour mixture; mix everything together.
  
• In a bowl, beat together the browned butter and brown sugar until fluffy, 1-2 minutes; beat in yolks one at a time. Add yogurt, juice, zest, and vanilla; beat. Add flour mixture; beat. Wisk egg whites to stiff peaks; fold into batter.
  
• Divide batter between pans; smooth tops with a spatula.
  
• Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly.
  

Glaze & Icing

• In a 4 quart sauce pan, combine 4 tablespoons butter, sugar, buttermilk, syrup, scraped vanilla bean pod, and baking soda; boil. Cook until dark (about 3-4 minutes). Remove from heat; remove the vanilla bean pod. Add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
  
• Spread glaze over each warm cake. Remove cakes from pans; transfer, glazed side up, to racks. Let cool.
  
• In a bowl, beat remaining butter, mascarpone, vanilla seeds, and cream cheese with mixer until smooth. Add remaining vanilla extract, rum, zest, and sugar; beat. Chill.
  
• Spread 1 ¼ cups icing evenly over 2 cake layers; stack, top with remaining layer.
  
• Frost top and sides; press the chopped walnuts onto the sides. Chill before serving.