14 CARAT CAKE

Hello!

Today I’m going to give you the recipe for the best tasting cake ever. It’s called 14 Carat Cake. But before I do that I have a little tale to tell you…

Last weekend was my stepmother’s birthday. She is Puerto Rican and full of Latin charm and zest for life. Can’t you just see that in this photo of her?

We call her Grandma Nellie and I introduced you to her at Christmas time when I shared her wonderful recipe for Cranberry Relish.

Nellie is a FANTASTIC cook and even though it was her birthday celebration, she insisted on cooking for us. This is an offer our family seldom turns down because we know we will enjoy wonderful things like her Spanish Style Fried Chicken…

and my favorite, her Puerto Rican Style Fried Platanos.

I love Grandma Nellie’s Platanos and one day soon I’ll share the recipe with you. They are one of those things that are so delicious they are hard to stop eating. And, if enjoyed as an appetizer, they have a tendency to spoil your appetite.

Since Grandma Nellie was cooking her own birthday dinner, I volunteered to make her a birthday cake. I decided to surprize her by baking a cake from a great recipe she had actually given to me many years ago called 14 Carat Cake. She got it from a colleague at her place of work who used to prepare it every time someone was celebrating a birthday. So, it seemed appropriate that I finally make this cake for Nellie.

It’s the best carrot cake recipe on the planet! It is not called 14 Carat Cake because it contains 14 carrots. It’s called 14 Carat Cake because it is so good it tastes like pure gold. Or perhaps because it’s so good it deserves to be gold plated. In fact, it’s so good I would have named it “24” Carat Cake instead!

I use the word “moist” a lot on this blog to describe cakes and cookies because to me, moist is how most cakes and cookies need to be in order to be at their best. In the case of this 14 Carat Cake, no adjective describes it better. It is ooey-gooey-good.  It starts out moist and just keeps getting more moist and better by the moment!

By now I hope I have wet your appetite enough to want to make this delicious cake. So, here is how it’s done…

Start by preheating your oven to 350º F. Next, prepare two 9″ layer cake pans. I do this by first spraying the pans with cooking spray, then plopping in a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the pan, and finally, spraying it yet again with cooking spray.

Now let’s prepare the dry ingredients. Add the following ingredients to a medium sized mixing bowl:

• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Salt

Whisk to combine, then set it aside to prepare the wet ingredients.

Add to the bowl of your standing mixer (fitted with a paddle attachment) the following:

• 1-1/2 Cups Vegetable Oil
• 1-3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar

Crack 4 eggs into a small bowl and beat them slightly with a fork. Add the eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.

Mix on medium to combine.

Returning to the dry ingredients, add them to the wet ingredients and mix on medium until the batter is smooth. Do not over mix.

Now thoroughly drain 1-20 Ounce Can of Crushed Pineapple. Push down on the pineapple with the back of a large spoon to remove most of the juice. I used crushed pineapple in heavy syrup because it’s what I had on hand. You can also use the light syrup or the pineapple juice versions.

Add the drained, crushed pineapple to the batter.

Next, peel and then grate 3 to 4 large carrots to achieve 2 Cups of Grated Carrots.

Add the grated carrots to the batter along with 3/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts.

Mix on medium speed to combine.

Pour equal amounts of batter into your two prepared cake pans.

Place the pans in the center of your preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the middle of your cake comes out clean.

While the cakes are baking make the cream cheese frosting.

Add the following ingredients to the bowl of your standing mixer that has been fitted with the whip attachment:

•  1/2 Cup of Butter, Cubed, (room temperature)
•  8 Ounce Package Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

NOTE: It is imperative that the butter and cream cheese be at room temperature to achieve good results.

Beat on high speed until creamy and lumps disappear.

Now add:

• 1 Lb. Powdered Sugar, (about 4-1/2 cups, sifted to remove lumps)

Turn the mixer on the lowest speed and beat to combine. Once the powdered sugar has been incorporated increase the mixer speed to high and beat the frosting until it is very smooth. If you find that the texture of the frosting is a bit thick, add a teaspoon or two of milk to thin.

Cover the frosting with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to frost your cake.

Once the cake is ready remove it from the oven and transfer each layer onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper and allow the cakes to cool completely.

Wait until the cake is thoroughly cooled before frosting it.

If you like, use an additional 1/3 cup of chopped walnuts to decorate the top of your cake.

Slice and enjoy. Isn’t it delicious??!!

So there you have it: 14 CARAT CAKE

14 CARAT CAKE

 

Print

Prep time

45 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

 

This wonderful carrot cake is out-of-this-world delicious! It isn't called 14 Carat Cake for nothing! Nutritious carrots, crushed pineapple and diced walnuts make this cake moist and delectable.

Author: Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• For The Cake
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1-1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1-1/2 Cups Vegetable Oil
• 1-3/4 Cups Granulated Sugar
• 4 Eggs, Beaten
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1-20 Ounce Can Crushed Pineapple, Thoroughly Drained
• 2 Cups of Peeled & Grated Carrots
• ¾ Cup Chopped Walnuts
• For The Cream Cheese Frosting
• ½ Cup of Butter, Cubed, Room Temperature
• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 Lb. Powdered Sugar, Sifted (about 4-1/2 Cups)
• ⅓ Cup Diced Walnuts For Decoration, Optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F and prepare two 9" layer cake pans with parchment paper and cooking spray.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to a medium sized mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
3. Add to the bowl of your standing mixer the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla.
4. Mix on low to combine.
5. Returning to the dry ingredients, add them to the wet ingredients and mix on medium until the batter is smooth. Do not over mix.
6. Add the drained crushed pineapple, grated carrots and chopped walnuts to the batter.
7. Mix on medium to combine.
8. Pour equal amounts of batter into two prepared 9" cake pans.
9. Place the pans in the center of preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a cake tester inserted into the middle of cake comes out clean.
10. Transfer each layer onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper and allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
11. For The Cream Cheese Frosting
12. Add the softened butter, cream cheese and vanilla to the bowl of a standing mixer that has been fitted with the whip attachment.
13. Beat on high until smooth and creamy.
14. Add the sifted powdered sugar.
15. Turn the mixer on low and beat to combine. Once the powdered sugar has been incorporated increase the mixer speed to high and beat the frosting until it is very smooth.
16. Add a teaspoon or two of milk to thin if necessary to achieve desired consistency.
17. Cover the frosting with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to frost cooled cake.
18. Decorate the frosted cake with optional ⅓ cup chopped walnuts if desired.
19. ENJOY!

Notes

Store this cake in the refrigerator. It can be enjoyed for several days and just keeps getting more moist with each day.

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