Spiced just right and covered in cream cheese icing, this carrot cake is a birthday party favourite.
Chocolate Hazelnut Carrot Cake
- Prep Time: 40 minutes (+ overnight chilling)
- Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes
- Servings: 12
A chocolate lover’s version of the classic carrot cake.
Steps
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease two 9-inch (2L) cake pans. Finely chop chocolate and place in a bowl. Heat milk just to boiling. Pour over chocolate and stir gently until melted. In a separate bowl, whisk flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
- In a large bowl, using a mixer on medium, beat oil with sugar, eggs and vanilla for 3 minutes. Beat in chocolate. Add flour mixture. Stir with a spoon until even in colour. Stir in carrots. Divide batter between pans.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until cakes are springy when tapped. Remove pans to cooling racks. After 5 minutes, run a knife around sides of cakes. Turn out of pans. Invert and cool on racks. (Covered cake will keep well at room temperature for 2 days.)
- To assemble a layered cake, slice each cake horizontally in half. Place top half of 1 cake, dome-side down, on a platter. Spread with a quarter of the icing (see instructions, below), leaving a narrow border around the cake. Lay bottom part of that cake on top, cut-side down. Repeat spreading and layering. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
Cream Cheese Icing
- Bring butter and cream cheese to room temperature. Beat together with 1 tsp vanilla until creamy. Gradually beat in icing sugar.
