Carrot cake

Carrot cake (Rüeblitorte in Swiss German) is a cake that contains carrots mixed into the batter. The carrot softens in the cooking process, and the cake usually has a soft, dense texture.

Baking and ingredients

Carrot cake closely resembles a quick bread in method of preparation (all the wet ingredients, such as the eggs and sugar, are mixed, all the dry ingredients are mixed, and the wet are then added to the dry) and final consistency (which is usually denser than a traditional cake and has a coarser crumb).

Many carrot cake recipes include optional ingredients, such as kirsch, cinnamon, nuts, pineapple or raisins. The most common icing on carrot cake is icing sugar and lemon juice or icing sugar and kirsch (Europe) and an icing with icing sugar, butter and cream cheese (United States).

As the cake is relatively moist, it can be conserved longer than many other types of cakes.

Presentation

Carrot cake may be eaten plain, but it is commonly either glazed or topped with white icing or cream cheese icing and walnuts, usually chopped. It is often coated with icing or marzipan made to look like carrots. Carrot cake is popular in loaf, sheet cake and cupcake forms, and (in the United Kingdom, as well as North America) can be found pre-packaged at grocery stores, and fresh at bakeries. Some carrot cakes are even layered.

Carrot Cake (cocktail)

The Carrot Cake is a cocktail that is said to taste like carrot cake, although it does not contain any carrot cake ingredients. It is a shooter drink composed of one third Bailey's Irish Cream, one third Hot Damn Cinnamon Schnapps and one third Frangelico. Alternate Recipe: 1/3 Bailey's Irish Cream, 1/3 Butterscotch Schnapps, and 1/3 Goldschlager.

See also