Almond Carrot Cake

The addition of Odense Almond Paste gives this cake a subtle almond flavor and a rich and dense moistness. For the finishing touch, top with Marzipan Carrots.

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (7 ounce) box Odense Almond Paste, grated
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup safflower oil
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups grated carrot
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup sliced almonds

Optional Frosting

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 (16 ounce) box confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2-9 inch cake pans, or use bakers spray.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt into a small bowl. Set aside.
3. Add grated Almond Paste and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat until small crumbs (a food processor works well for this step). Add oil and beat until thick and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture, carrots, raisins and almonds to almond paste mixture. Beat on low until just mixed.
4. Divide batter equally between the two pans.
5. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near middle pulls out clean.
6. Cool pans on wire racks for 10 minutes and then invert cake onto wire racks to finish cooling.
7. If using optional cream cheese frosting beat cream cheese and butter until very creamy. Add confectioner’s sugar (sift if lumpy) and beat until smooth. Beat in extract of choice.
8. Place cooled cake top-side down on cake plate*. Generously frost top and position second cake on top, top-side up. For a faultless (no crumbs) frosting, lightly frost cake with a ‘skim coat’ (thin layer) of frosting and refrigerate.
9. When skim coat is firm, finish frosting cake with a generous second layer. For an extra special touch, decorate with Marzipan Carrots.
10. To make sure the cake stays put, spread a thin layer of frosting in the middle of the cake plate before placing cake on plate.

Serves 12 | Prep: 30 min | Bake: 35-40 min