Cardamom Spiced Carrot Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 lbs carrots, grated coarsely (about 6 cups)
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped
• 24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 heat the oven to 350°f and arrange the rack in the middle.
• 2 coat two 8-inch cake pans with butter and flour, and tap out any excess flour. set aside.
• 3 combine flour, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, baking soda, ginger, and salt in a large bowl, and whisk to aerate and break up any lumps. set aside.
• 4 combine eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla in a large bowl, and whisk until eggs are broken up and mixture is thoroughly combined. using a rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture until just combined. fold in carrots and walnuts until evenly mixed.
• 5 divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 to 60 minutes.
• 6 remove cakes from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool, about 15 minutes. run a knife around the perimeter of each, and turn cakes out onto the rack to cool completely.
• 7 for the frosting:.
• 8 combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat at low speed until sugar is incorporated.
• 9 increase speed to medium high and beat until frosting is light and whipped, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• 10 for the assembly:.
• 11 to frost, place a cake layer on an 8-inch cardboard round, a tart-pan bottom, or a cake plate. evenly spread about 1/3 of the frosting over the top of the layer. stack the second layer, and evenly spread another 1/3 of the frosting over the top and sides of the whole cake. (don’t worry about looks at this point—this is just a crumb layer, and it will be covered up later.)
• 12 place in the refrigerator until frosting is set up and slightly hard, about 15 minutes.
• 13 remove from the refrigerator and spread remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake, ensuring it’s as even as possible. serve.