Carrot and Ginger Layer Cake

Another creation I made a little while ago. I have lost my way with writing and blogging at the moment and everything else in life seems to be getting in the way. I am trying to catch up and once I have I am going to try and keep on track..on fair to all you lovely people that are following my journey at the moment.

So onto the Carrot and Ginger Layer Cake. I have wanted to make this one for a while as it seemed very appetising and the layer cake most likely to tickle my taste buds.

Made this one on the 8th October, a long time ago. I hope I can still remember everything.

I had to do this one in stages with looking after my little, but growing so much every day, one. Managed to grate the ton of carrots..okay maybe that was an exaggeration, it was more like 450g but who's counting. Had to dash off to retrieve the baby from her nap so hubby finished the grating off for me, typically got the other half done in half the time it took me to do the first lot. Saved me an aching arm though so not complaining. That done I set out squeezing some of the moisture out of the carrot but pressing them into a sieve. Then realised it was a lot more affective to just squish them in my hands. Grated the ginger root and added that to the bowl of carrots, along with the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, buttermilk and vanilla essence. It didn't look to appealing a mixture but I always have faith in Hummingbird.

Once it had all combined and I had attacked the whisk blades with a spoon to free some of the mixture, I set about sifting the dry ingredients together, including the ground ginger and cinnamon. This is added to the carrot mixture in three batches, scraping down the sides after each one. Lastly the pecans, that had been blitzed in the mini blender as I am too lazy to chop them, get stirred in and the batter is ready.

I still only have 2 8 inch tins as I'm not refusing to buy any more when I only need four for these sort of layer cakes. Don't mind having to do twice the baking and washing up instead. The tins had been prepared with greaseproof paper lining the bottom and the usual butter and flour greasing around the edges. Managed to get both tins looking like they had an equal amount of batter in each, with enough left over for another set afterwards. Into the oven they went for about 30 to 40 minutes. My oven is again taking a little over the stated cooking times, hit and miss but I usually bake for the time given, check them and usually add a few minutes more on.

Had to have a break at this point, as I needed the tins to cool down enough for me to remove the cakes and wash them up for reuse..the tins not the cakes!

Cuppa drunk and back to the grind..washed the tins and re-greased and lined them and in went the second round of cake layers. The first had cooled and smelt completely lush, adding to the smell wafting from the oven too. The whole house smelt yummy, couldn't wait to get the cake assembled and iced.

Waiting for the cakes to all cool I made the icing up. Grated my orange first then whisked the butter and icing sugar together before adding the zest and cream cheese until it was all wonderfully smooth. Had a little finger dip and lick just to make sure it tasted wonderful too. Placed the first layer onto a round cake board and started the icing. I was a little stingy with the amount of icing I put between each layer as I wasn't convinced there would be enough to cover the top and outside of the cake once stacked. I was wrong however, it is so hard to judge the quantity of icing you have when in the bowl, and I had more than enough to do the outside generously now.

All finished I left it undecorated in top, partly because it looks fab without anything but the frosting, and partly because I was feeling tired and lazy by that point. Photo taken before I hit the sack, the tasting would have to wait til the next day.

First had a slice as my elevens on Monday morning once little miss was napping and I could settle with a cuppa tea and catch up on a programme. It was amazing..better than the Spiced Apple cake, my favourite so far. I did over do it on the frosting on the outside of the cake, too much there and not quite enough in the middle but lesson learnt there. I took some to the neighbours as usual and also a few slices to my Mother and Father-in-law. She was so impressed just by the look and smell of them she asked me to make her one for a dinner party that weekend..hasn't even tasted it yet. Definitely a winner in the layer cake stakes. Unfortunately no photo for this one, I did take some but then had to reset and consequently wipe my phone before I had a chance to upload it onto the pc. You will just have to use your imaginations, or the photo from the book minus the flourishes on top.