Boozy Carrot Cake

INSTRUCTIONS: 

prior to mixing:

• prepare 2 8″ round cake pans:  Butter the bottoms, then line with 8″ circles of parchment paper.  Then butter and flour the pans.

• Set rack to middle, and pre-heat your oven to 350°F / 177°C

• Soak the Raisins: Place all the raisins in a small microwave safe bowl and pour just enough dark rum to cover the tops of the raisins, ensure all are submerged.  Heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, then let soak until ready to incorporate into the batter.  (they can sit like this for as long as you like – they should re-hydrate and plump up)

• After you drain the Raisins, use the reserve Dark Rum for the recipe or, better yet – pour over some rocks and DRINK!

CAKE

1. Beat the Sugar, Oil, and Eggs together in stand mixer or with electric mixer until pale yellow,  scrape down bowl as necessary .

2. Add 1 tablespoon Dark Rum to wet ingredients, mix. (this recipe replaces the standard Vanilla with Rum) 

3. Sift together all dry ingredients: Flour, Cinnamon, Baking Soda and Salt. Be sure dry ingredients are fully mixed.

4. Drain Raisins, mix with Walnuts and mix together with 1 tablespoon of flour.  This will keep the nuts and raisins nicely suspended in the batter versus settling on the bottom during baking.

5. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

6. Fold Raisins and Walnuts, Carrots and Pineapple chunks into combined batter -mix well.

7. Divide batter evenly into 2 cake pans.  Bake between 55 to 60 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean

FROSTING

1. Mix Cream Cheese, Butter and Vanilla until fully creamed together.

2. Add Confectioners sugar, in batches until fully incorporated and mixed until smooth and creamy.  

Note: you can always adjust the consistency of the frosting to your liking – Add sugar to stiffen, a few tablespoons at a time (good for piping).  Add milk to loosen, one tablespoon at a time.

ASSEMBLY

1. Let cakes completely cool… COMPLETELY!… (you can wrap in cling wrap and cool in the fridge…the cooler the better)

2. Bottom Layer:  Drizzle 1 tablespoon of Dark Rum on top surface of cake.  Spread layer of Frosting, then top with Crushed Pineapple

3. Top Layer:  Stack atop bottom layer.  Drizzle 1 tablespoon of Dark Rum on cake surface (again). Then frost top and sides.

4. Decoration:  In the pictures I used two sized open star tips to create swirled blobs (the official term) around the cake top.   Pressing in some roasted walnuts on the side would be nice too…  maybe next time.