Dinner and then dessert.
A VERY special dessert.
Truffled White Chocolate Layered Carrot Cake
Carrot Cake:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup oil
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 large eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 8-inch cake pans, and then line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Add the canola oil and melted butter and stir well. Then add the eggs.
Stir in vanilla extract.
Stir in carrots, nuts, and raisins until ingredients are well-combined.
Evenly divide the carrot cake batter into prepared baking pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the carrot cake to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, slice each cake through the center (lengthwise) to create four thin layers of cake.
Truffled White Chocolate:
1 3.5oz. pkg. Lindt White Chocolate Truffles, thinly sliced
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
2 pkg. white chocolate instant pudding
Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and instant pudding powder until smooth.
Dividing in thirds, slather one layer of cake with frosting and then sprinkle with 1/3 of the white chocolate truffles. Top with another layer and repeat the process. Repeat again, ending with the last layer of cake on top.
Cream Cheese Buttercream:
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Beat together the cream cheese and butter until well combined. Slowly add the sugar and vanilla and beat until frosting consistency is reached.
Slather the outsides and top of the tiered carrot cake with the frosting. Smooth the edges.
Candied Carrots and Walnuts:
1/2 cup simple syrup (1/2 cup sugar dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water)
1 cup rainbow carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup white sugar
Simmer the carrots and walnuts in the simple syrup for about 5 minutes.
Drain.
Transfer to parchment paper and allow to cool and dry out for a few hours.
Toss the carrots and nuts in the sugar and dehydrate again, for several hours.
Top the cake with the candy and go to town!
