Carrot cake: three ways

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   In a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese together for 30 seconds. In a large bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together on a low speed until light and fluffy. Combining them thoroughly [1]

   • The cream cheese and butter should both be at room temperature, or softened. So that they can soften, remove them from the fridge about an hour before you plan to use them.
   • Instead of using a mixer, you can achieve the same results by vigorously stirring the butter and cream cheese together with a wooden spoon.
2. 

   2

   Sift 3 and 3⁄4 1 measuring cup (or 710 milliliters/180 milliliters) of powdered sugar Your frosting will be much smoother and free of lumps after this process. Sugar Confectionery Hold the sifter over a bowl and pour the sugar in. For a more thorough sifting of the sugar and to prevent clumping, rotate the side hand crank in a circular motion. You can make your icing with the sugar in the bowl. [2]

   • Without a sifter, confectioners' sugar can be sifted by first whisking it in a small bowl.

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   Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and mix until smooth. Stir in the two ingredients to the butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. When you're done, there shouldn't be any specks or streaks of sugar powder. [3]

   • Simply pour the powdered sugar into the bowl, and the process will be much less messy. 1⁄4 fraction of a cup (59 ml) at a time Mixer powder can fly everywhere if added all at once.

4. 4

   Slowly add the milk until the frosting is spreadable. First, using a mixer, incorporate 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of milk into the mixture. Add another tablespoon (15 ml) of milk if the frosting is too thick. Keep going until the consistency is just right. [4]

   • The icing should have a consistency that prevents it from running but is still easily spreadable.

5. 5

   The icing can be kept in the fridge for up to two weeks. Keep the icing in the refrigerator in a sealed container or bag if you aren't going to use it right away. [5] Do not use icing that has mold spots or that feels hard and stale.

   • Icing, if stored properly in an airtight container, can be frozen for several months.

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1. 1

   Have a 225°F (107°C) oven ready. To give your oven time to preheat while you prepare your ingredients, turn it on first. The average preheating time for an oven is 15 minutes. [6]

   • Heating time may increase in ovens that are older or less efficient.
   • You won't get any faster results by cooking the carrots at a higher temperature. Changing the oven's temperature is a risky move that could cause your carrots to dry out or burn.
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   Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray and parchment paper. Pull out enough parchment paper to line the baking sheet. Apply a light coating of nonstick cooking spray to the parchment paper to keep the carrots from sticking. [7]

   • You can use a pan of any size. 13 x 18 inches (33 x 46 cm) is the standard size.
   • Food cooks more evenly when using parchment paper because it creates a very thin air layer between the baking sheet and the paper. [8]
   • For lack of parchment paper, substitute aluminum foil. Keep in mind that food baked in foil tends to cook more quickly, so adjust cooking times accordingly. [9]
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   Carrots should be peeled into 15–20 thin ribbons using a vegetable peeler. Carrot "ribbons" can be easily made by placing the carrot on a cutting board and using a vegetable peeler to firmly pull along the entire length of the carrot. About 8-10 of these "ribbons" can be expected from each carrot. ”[10]

   • Carrots with a diameter greater than 2 cm (1 inch) Strips that are approximately 2. 5 inches (6.5 cm) in circumference (the sweet spot) work best.
   • Preparedness implies that your carrots have been peeled. Not the rind, but actual carrot pieces are what you're peeling away now.
   • Always strive for consistency in strip length and width. All of them will be cooked at the same rate this way.
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   4

   Boil together 240 ml (1 cup) of water and 240 ml (1 cup) of sugar. The mixture should be poured into a saucepan and heated over medium heat. To see large bubbles arising from the bottom of the pan, wait until they have risen to the surface. The evaporation of water from a boiling liquid produces steam. [11]

   • Maintain constant stirring to prevent sugar from congealing at the base of the pan.
   • Since sugar causes a spike in water's boiling point, the sugar-water mixture will require more time to boil than plain water.
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   5

   Stir in the carrots and cook at a low simmer for 15 minutes. Be careful not to burn yourself as you carefully lower the carrots into the sugar water. Keep the lid off the pan and turn the heat down to low so the liquid is just simmering. [12]

   • When tiny bubbles form steadily in a liquid, it is said to be simmering. [13]
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   After 5 minutes, strain the carrots and set them aside to cool. To strain the contents of the saucepan, place the strainer in the sink. The only thing that's going to be left are the carrot sticks. Gently toss them into the strainer so that any excess water can drain. [14]

   • Strainers can be made out of anything from plastic to wire mesh, and they will all do the trick. Just make sure the strainer's holes aren't large enough for the carrot strips to fall through.
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   In a 1 x 2 inch (2.5 cm) place in a covered baking dish at 2-inch (5 cm) intervals Don't let any of the strips cross over or touch each other. You want the strips to be flush with the parchment paper. [15]

   • Carrots will become soggy or undercooked if they are overcrowded on the baking sheet. [16]

8. 8

   To cook the carrots, put them in the oven for 30 minutes. Carrots will cook most evenly if they are placed on a baking sheet and baked in the center of the oven. Carefully monitor the carrots to prevent them from burning. [17]

   • As the carrots cook, they will lose much of their color and become almost transparent.

9. 9

   Turn off the oven and take the carrots out. When the 30 minutes are up, remove the baking sheet from the oven using an oven mitt. Carrots should be served at a comfortable temperature; neither too cold nor too hot. [18]

   • Try out a strip. Toss the carrots back in the oven if the center is still slightly firm. For the curls to form, they must be limp.
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    Curl the carrots by winding them around the stem of a spoon. Take one carrot strip at a time and gently wind it loosely around the handle in a spiral. Once you've finished with one strip, slide it off the handle and set it aside. [19]

    • Curls made with a smaller spoon will be tighter, while those made with a larger, thicker spoon will be more relaxed.
    • Prepare the carrots right after taking them out of the oven. Curling carrots requires working quickly before they become too cold to manipulate.
    • Coat the carrot curls in sugar for a sweeter snack.

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    30 minutes should be enough time for the carrot curls to cool completely. After washing, let the curls dry and cool at room temperature. You can't touch them until they're cool, or their spiral shape will be ruined. Put them in the fridge if you need to speed up the cooling process because of a lack of time. [20]

    • Refrigerate the curls in an airtight container for up to 5 days if you won't be using them right away.

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1. 

   1

   The cake should be frosted while being rotated on a turntable. Make sure the turntable is on a stable, flat surface. If you place a sheet of wax paper underneath the turntable, you won't have to worry about crumbs or icing falling through. [21]

   • Get a record player and a turntable from a hobby shop or an electronics retailer.
   • In the absence of a proper turntable, a lazy Susan can suffice. You can also flip the cake by hand if you put it on a large plate.
2. 

   2

   Use an offset spatula to spread a third of the frosting over the top and sides. A crumb coat is the first coating applied to a surface to prevent crumbs from escaping. Spread the frosting in an even layer over the cake using the spatula. [22] Cover the entire cake so the next layer doesn't attract crumbs.

   • You can spread the icing with the flat back of the spatula and use the pointed front to remove the icing from the bowl.
   • When applying a crumb coat, it's best to do so in a separate, smaller bowl to prevent crumbs from contaminating the main batch of icing. [23]
   • If you intend to press walnuts into the sides of the cake, you can skip the crumb coat since no one will be able to see it.

3. 3

   Put the cake in the refrigerator for half an hour to an hour so the first layer can set. Keep the cake in the fridge with a cake dome or airtight container until the crumb coat has hardened. If you don't wait for the icing on the bottom layer to set, you'll end up smearing the crumbs into the icing on top. [24]

   • Covering the cake entirely is mandatory. The cool air in the fridge will dry out the cake's interior if you don't.
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   Apply two more coats of frosting to the cake with a spatula. After the crumb coat has set, apply a second and third layer of frosting using an offset spatula to the top and sides of the cake. As these are the layers that will be on display, they need to be more refined and substantial than the crumb coat. Spread the frosting evenly by rotating a turntable. [25]

   • To prevent the frosting from smearing, chill the cake in between these two layers, just as you did after applying the crumb coat.
   • If you're going to be making multiple passes with a spatula over a cake, clean it between each one.
   • Put some of the icing in a separate bowl now if you want to pipe a border around the cake.
5. 

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   Use a piping tip to pipe an icing border around the top. Fill an empty piping bag with icing using a spoon. Keep the piping bag tilted at a 45-degree angle and apply light pressure while working. A border can be made by rotating the turntable while simultaneously pipeing. [26]

   • Remove any excess air from the frosting by squeezing it out onto a paper towel. [27]
   • Piping tips come in a wide range of sizes, and can be found at most craft and kitchen supply stores. A thinner border can be achieved by using smaller tips, while a thicker border can be achieved by using larger tips.
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   Sprinkle finely chopped walnuts over the top and press into the frosting. Put a thick, even layer of finely chopped walnuts on top of the icing by pushing a handful of them onto the side with your fingers. If the icing peeks through, it will look bad. [28]

   • You can use pecans instead of walnuts if you prefer.
   • The flavor of walnuts can be improved by toasting them first. Walnuts can be toasted by spreading them out on a baking sheet lined with foil and cooking them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) for 7 to 10 minutes. They need to be stirred frequently to prevent burning. [29]
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   To decorate the cake, you can add nutmeg, candied carrots, and coconut. Put them where you want, whether that's all over the top of the cake, in a border, or in a pile in the middle. [30]

   • Before presenting the cake, do this. The cake's frosting and sprinkles risk drying out if they are applied too far in advance.

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