Some recipes that are very famous in the West are not that common in India and Pakistan. Even if the ingredients are easily available, but still these delicious recipes never gained much popularity in our region. However, things are changing now with the arrival of internet and all the technology that we have available today. People want to try the taste and flavors of other countries and culture.
Cakes are specially getting popularity in my country, where 24/7 cooking channels are the main cause of making them popular. I am among the people who would prefer to buy their cake from a bakery than make it home. But recently I decided to make cakes myself and both my girls loved them.
I am sharing with you my carrot cake recipe; it is not exactly mine as it is a variation of various recipes that are around for centuries. I have just made the process a little easier. Also I have tried to explain it a little more for my Indian and Pakistani readers who have never made a cake at home before.
There are two steps in making of most cakes. First you make the cake and then you add a layer of frosting on it. The frosting is prepared separately and once you have cooked the cake and it has cooled down then you add frosting to it. Here is what you will need for this Carrot Cake recipe.
Ingredients
Cake
- 250g flour
- 200g Butter (you can also use margarine)
- 2 Eggs
- 250g grated carrot
- 250g brown sugar
- 2tbs Cinnamon powder
- 2tbs baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1tbs mashed pistachio
- Few raisins (Hindi: किशमिश Urdu: کشمش )
- Few almonds or cashew mashed (not powdered we want to add texture)
Frosting
- 125gm Sugar Powdered
- 100gm creamy cheese
- 2tbs Vanilla Essence
- 50gm butter or margarine
Instructions
Cake
- We will start with the cake first. In a Pan melt the butter and sugar together and add flour, grated carrot, brown sugar, raisins, cashew, pistachio, cinnamon powder, and mix them all together.
- In the next step beat the eggs and then add them. Keep stirring until everything is mixed together properly. Now add baking powder and keep mixing.
- Before putting it in the oven you need a proper sized tin that is greased so that your cake does not stick to the tin.
- Now put this in the oven and cook it at 180°C or 355°F for 45 to 50 minutes.
- After that carefully take out your cake and let it cool down. We will add frosting when it has cooled down.
Frosting
- Mix together all the ingredients for the frosting. You need to prepare a smooth frosting and you also want to make sure that the sugar is mixed well with cheese and butter. Once you have prepared your frosting you can start putting it on your cake.
- You need to put an equally thick layer of frosting on top and on sides while making sure that it sticks. If you feel that your frosting is not thick enough add some flour to it. This is the most challenging part of making a cake but with proper care and a little practice one can do it quite easily and comfortably.
- After you have added the frosting to your cake you can put it in the freezer for like five minutes and then move it to the refrigerator.
You can use many other things to decorate your cake like carrot pieces, more pistachio or cashew on top, or use cream cones to make shapes on it.