When Rabbits and Bees Attack - Italian Cream Cheese Frosting

Honey Nut Carrot Cake - The Decorating; Part 2

The cake Section is here: When Rabbits and Bees Attack - Honey Nut Carrot Cake

I must apologize for not mentioning the Rosemary sprigs in part 1.

It's very simple really. Take 1 egg white and a few drops of water, mix with a fork to break up the white a little.

Strip away some of the needles and "Paint" with egg whites.

Sprinkle sugar over them

and let set out on wax paper, over night to dry. (You cannot refrigerate these with the cake or they will draw moisture and get all kinds of gooey - I know, I did this on accident once)

So it's time to make the frosting. Normally, Carrot Cake SCREAMS for Cream Cheese, but I decided I would flex my butter and mix it up a little this time. This is a recipe for "Italian Cream Cheese Frosting" that I picked up eons ago from somewhere, it originally contained sugar, but since the Carrot cake is based on Honey, I thought it would be nice to stay in the same flavor range.

I assume that this is referred to as Italian Cream Cheese because the added butter tones down the tang of the American Cream Cheese, thus giving a more "Mascarpone" flavor to the frosting. Call it a hunch. Like I said, I picked this up when I was still living in Portland 12 years ago, I had never heard of Mascarpone back then. It was not until 8 years ago when I made my first Tiramisu that I even knew such a thing existed.

I have this down to a simple formula with the honey (taking my lead from previous experiences with honey and frosting) I usually make a triple batch of what is below, to frost a 2 layer 9 inch Carrot cake. After all, the only reason Carrot cake exists is to transport Cream Cheese Frosting into your mouth without getting your fingers dirty.

Honey Italian Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese
4 TB Unsalted Butter
1/2 tsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
1/4 cup Orange Blossom Honey (You can use 1/3 of a cup if you want it sweeter, but remember, Honey is twice as sweet as Granulated Sugar)

Make sure your butter and cream cheese are at about 65 degrees (it whips better that way)
Place Cream Cheese, Butter, Vanilla and Salt in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until blended.

Add honey; beating till light and fluffy.

Apply a crumb coat and chill for 30 minutes

Reserve 1/2 cup for decor purposes and dye it orange

After chilling, apply the remaining frosting liberally, and I DO mean liberally.

Press walnuts or Pecans into the sides of the cake. Then chill for 30 more minutes.

Pipe small mound on the top of the cake and chill until ready to serve.

To Serve - Remove cake from refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Poke the sugared rosemary sprigs in the top of the orange mounds. Viola... Carrots... !!!

Slice and enjoy (Please, don't eat the rosemary)
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When Rabbits and Bees Attack - Honey Nut Carrot Cake

My bestest friend Stephanie's Birthday was Monday (23rd). We will be celebrating this weekend. Which should be a hoot, it always is. When asked what kind of cake she wanted for her Birthday, she asked me for a Carrot Cake. That made me extremely happy, for not only is it one of my favorite childhood cakes, it has also got to be the easiest cake ever.

I really love this recipe from my mom because it contains pineapple, NOT raisins, which tend to obtain a strange texture after cooking.  It also contains no Baking Powder, instead utilizing Honey (which is an acid) and Baking Soda for a leavening reaction.

I like to grate my carrots REALLY fine. This is really the only problematic part of the cake batter assemblage.  Let's face it, it takes awhile to grate 3 cups of carrots.

Honey Nut Carrot Cake

3 cups Carrots, finely grated
3 cups AP Flour
2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups Honey (Orange Blossom)
4 Eggs
1 cup Vegetable Oil
1 small can crushed Pineapple in it's own juice (Drained)
1/2 - 1 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 2 9-inch round pans with parchment
Grate carrots.

Dump Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon and Ginger together in a large bowl.

And whisk em all together...

Add Carrots, Honey, Eggs, Oil and Pineapple.

Mix well then fold in the nuts.

Divide between the two prepared pans.

Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 15 minutes.

Then run a knife around the outside edge and turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

Then chill until ready to frost with Italian Cream Cheese Frosting - Which I will be doing tomorrow.
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