Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

I am not a very good baker but Mark has been taking such good care of me during the recovery period for my broken ankle that I wanted to do a little something special for his birthday last week. This carrot cake is really moist and delicious with just the right amount of spice and sweetness. I love the idea of making a birthday cake with local ingredients…carrots are available in abundant supply at all of the winter farmers’ markets and with maple season upon us, the use of maple syrup for an added touch of flavor in the icing seemed just about right.

For the cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups grated peeled carrots
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger

For the icing:

• 10 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.

Directions for the icing:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup icing. Top with second layer. Spread remaining icing over entire cake.

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Sources:

• Flour – Wild Hive Farm 
• Eggs – Feather Ridge Farm
• Carrots – Norwich Meadows Farm
• Butter – Ronnybrook Farm
• Maple Syrup – Lyonsville Sugarhouse