Carrot cake with lemon curd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQkjLCkZo4E

Carrot cake has become a classic cake to make at home. To add a twist on this beloved treat, I decided to add in a layer of lemon curd. This version of carrot cake contains a rich and moist cake, with a slightly acid lemon curd to add some flavour and finally the whole thing is topped with two flavour frosting: vanilla and lemon.

Let's check out the recipe!

Ingredients

The Cake

• 170 g sugar (3/4 cup)

• 200 g flour (1 2/3 cups)

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp allspice

• 1/2 tsp cardamom 

• 1/2 tsp ginger

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 tsp salt 

• 110 g sour cream (1/2 cup)

• 100 g oil (1/2 cup)

• 1 egg

• 70 g pecans (2/3 cup)

• 300 g carrots ( 2 3/4 cups)

• 90 g applesauce (1/3 cup)
  

Lemon Curd 

• 120 g lemon juice (1/2 cup)

• 65 g sugar (1/3 cup)

• 50 g heavy cream (4 tbsp)

• 1 tbsp agar agar

• 2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp butter

• Food colouring 
  

Frosting

• 250 g icing sugar (2 cups)

• A pinch of salt 

• 55g soft butter (1/4 cup)

• 113 g cream cheese (1/2 cup)

• 3 tbsp cornstarch

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp lemon extract

• Yellow food colouring

How To

The Cake

• Mix the wet ingredients together: sour cream, applesauce, oil and egg.

• Mix the dry ingredients together: flour, sugar, pecans, baking soda, baking powder, spices, salt and carrots.

• Mix the dry and wet ingredients until fully combined.

• Preheat the oven at 180°C or 360 F and bake the cake for 40 min.

• Let the cake cool then slice it in the middle.

Frosting

• Using an electric mixer whisk the butter until it becomes light in colour.

• Add in the cream cheese and mix.

• Add the icing sugar in two batches and mix.

• Add the cornstarch and mix until it's all combined.

• Split the frosting in two: add the lemon extract and yellow colour to the fist half, and add the vanilla extract.

• Cover both frostings with cling wrap and let cool until the assembly part.

Lemon Curd

• Mix the agar agar and sugar together.

• Mix the cornstarch with the water

• Add all the ingredients in a pot over a medium heat and keep stirring.

• When the curd starts to boil remove from the stove. Pour on a plate and let cool for 30 minutes.

• Place the lemon curd in a piping bag for the assembly.

Assembly

• Pipe a layer of lemon curd inside the cake.

• Cover with the top cake layer.

• Pipe some frosting on top (lemon and vanilla).

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