Carrot Cake

1 cup walnuts

1 cup golden raisins

3 (3") cinnamon sticks (or 5 tsp ground cinnamon)

3/4 tsp allspice berries (or 1 tsp ground allspice)

1/ 3 tsp whole cloves (or 1/2 tsp ground cloves)

1/2 a whole nutmeg, finely grated (or 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg)

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cardamom

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

Pinch salt

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups grated carrot (on largest shredding side of a box grater)

Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two 8-inch round cake pans. Spray them with nonstick spray and line each with a round of parchment paper.

Spread walnuts on a parchment-lined sheet, toast 5-8 minutes until fragrant and beginning to brown a little. Remove from pan to cool and then chop medium coarse. Soak raisins in hottest tap water to allow to plump. Combine whole spices in a spice mill and grind until fine. (Cinnamon can be a little hard; run it through a sieve to remove any unground bits.)

In a large mixing bowl, hand whisk oil, sugar, spices, eggs, vanilla and almond extract until incorporated. In a separate small bowl, dry whisk to combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture and water to the large mixing bowl; use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to combine wet and dry. Add drained raisins, chopped toasted nuts and shredded carrots. Stir to combine. Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes, rotating pans halfway through the baking to ensure even doneness. Cakes are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool 5 minutes before inverting onto cooling racks. Allow to cool completely.

2 cups white sugar, divided

1/2 cup water

Pinch salt

6 egg whites

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cut into 2-inch cubes and allowed to come to room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp almond extract

500 g cream cheese (full fat, room temperature – two 250 g packages), cut into 2-inch cubes

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 cup (or so) toasted coconut, if desired, for garnishing the sides

Clip a candy thermometer to a medium-sized saucepot. Add 1/2 cup water and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Boil until it reaches 240°F.

Meanwhile, in a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, on high speed, whip egg whites with a pinch of salt until they become frothy. Slowly add remaining 1/2 cup sugar and whip on high speed until light and fluffy.

When sugar syrup reaches 240°F, remove thermometer and remove pot from heat. Drizzle hot syrup down the side of the mixing bowl slowly, avoiding the whisk (so it doesn’t spatter and burn you), while you continue whipping on high speed until frosting is fluffy and firm. Keep whipping until sides and bottom of mixing bowl are no longer warm.

Then, still on high speed, slowly incorporate butter cubes, one at a time. To be sure cubes aren’t too cold to mix in properly, squeeze one between your fingers and make sure it squishes without too much resistance. If it’s still cold, either wait longer or carefully microwave to soften it, but be sure not to melt it. Butter temperature is important for buttercream. If melted or too cold, your buttercream could separate or curdle. Continue until all the butter, and then the shortening, is incorporated. The meringue will deflate a little; this is normal. It helps to stop the mixer every so often and scrape down the sides. Whip in the extracts. Stop the mixer, lower the bowl and remove 2/3 of the buttercream to another bowl and set aside. Incorporate the cream cheese the way you did the butter into the remaining 1/3 of the buttercream. Add the lemon juice. Then, in three or four additions, add back the buttercream you removed and beat together after each addition until fully incorporated and fluffy. If it’s warm in your kitchen, you might need to refrigerate the frosting before icing the cake.

Frost the middle, top and sides of the cake, reserving some of the frosting to place in a piping bag to add some flourish to the top, if you like. I sometimes press toasted coconut into the sides of the cake. This is optional. Refrigerate a couple of hours to set the frosting. Cut into 12 or 16 wedges and enjoy.

Andrea Maunder is the owner and creative force behind Saucy & Sweet – Homemade Specialty Foods & Catering.