RECIPE - The Denver Post

RECIPE

This spectacular pumpkin carrot cake comes from a baker on the newest season of “The Great British Baking Show.” The recipe can be found in the “Great British Baking Show: Comfort Bakes” cookbook, due out in November. COURTESY OF ANT DUNCAN

COURTESY OF MOBIUS

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Carrot and Pumpkin Cake

INGREDIENTS

325 g self-raising flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Pinch of salt

200 g light brown sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

250 g carrots (about 4), coarsely grated

250 ml sunflower oil

175 g canned pumpkin purée (not canned pumpkin pie filling)

Finely grated zest of 1/2 orange

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste (can substitute vanilla extract)

For the frosting:

120g unsalted butter, softened

240g powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla paste (can substitute vanilla extract)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, to taste (optional)

240 g full-fat cream cheese

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line cake tins with parchment.

Make the sponge cakes: Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix to combine.

Mix in the eggs, carrots, oil, pumpkin purée, orange zest and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

Divide the mixture equally between the lined tins and spread it level with a palette knife.

Bake on the middle shelf for 30 to 35 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centers comes out clean. Leave the sponges to cool for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the frosting. Beat the butter using an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk) until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and beat on a low speed until combined. Mix in the cream cheese until smooth. Turn the speed up and continue to mix until the frosting is stiff enough to hold a floppy peak. Scoop the frosting into the piping bag fitted with a medium open star nozzle.

Assemble the cake. Place one sponge on a serving plate and pipe half of the frosting over the top, making concentric circles of buttercream ‘scallops’ all the way to the centre, covering the entire surface.

Top with the second sponge and pipe the remaining cream frosting on top, again creating concentric circles of buttercream scallops to cover.

— “The Great British Baking Show: Comfort Bakes” cookbook (Mobius, $36), due out Nov. 5.