Easter is next weekend and in anticipation that our Blind Pig readers may be looking for a way to spice up their Easter meal, we decided to share our twist on a delicious classic carrot cake.
Since rum pairs nicely with the rich spicy flavor of carrot cake, we added some rum to this cake recipe along with a yummy rum enhanced brown sugar cream cheese frosting. As a bonus, this recipe is easy to make, as far as making cakes from scratch goes. We based our recipe on a recipe found in the March 2015 Southern Living Magazine. We hope you enjoy!
This yummy rum-enhanced cake starts with toasting some pecans with butter and kosher salt. A few of the pecans will go into the cake and the rest of the pecans will be used to garnish the top of the cake. The saltiness of the pecans brings out the rich frosting flavors.
Start this recipe much like most cake recipes by creaming the softened butter with the sugars. Next add canola oil and the eggs. Once that is mixed well, you will add in the dry ingredients alternating with buttermilk. Add 1/2 ounce of your favorite dark rum. Then fold in shredded carrots and a shredded granny smith apple with the toasted pecans. Place the cake batter into three round cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes.
Once the cakes have cooled, mix together the cream cheese frosting. Instead of vanilla extract, add 1/2 ounce of your favorite dark rum. After frosting ingredients have been mixed, cover your cake with the frosting making sure to place frosting between the cake layers. Sprinkle reserved toasted pecans on top of the cake, and you are ready to serve.
Due to the cream cheese frosting, make sure to refrigerate the cake until ready to serve.
Warning: The Easter Bunny might abandon his carrots for this delicious cake! This cake does not disappoint and will be the one thing everyone wants to see in their Easter basket.
If you are looking for some other great ideas for your Easter celebration, check out these past posts.
Easter Morning Cocktails and More
Ideas for Your Easter Brunch Every Bunny will Love
Happy Easter and Happy Spring!
Rum Flavored Carrot Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 T. melted butter
- 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 ounce dark rum
- 3 cups grated carrots
- 1 cup peeled and grated Granny Smith apple
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- Rum Flavored Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 8 ounce packages cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 ounce dark rum
- 7 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Toast pecans mixed with melted butter and kosher salt at 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Stir together flour and next four ingredients. Beat butter and both sugars at medium speed with electric mixer until blended. Add oil and beat until blended. Add eggs one at a time until just blended.
- Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternating with buttermilk. Stir in rum. Fold in carrots, apple, coconut and 1 cup of pecans.
- Spoon batter into 3 greased 9 inch round cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. Cool in pans over wire racks. Remove from pans.
- Prepare frosting by beating cream cheese, butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add 1/2 ounce dark rum and beat until blended. Gradually add powdered sugar beating at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high and beat for an additional minute.
- Spread frosting on between cake layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle remaining pecans on top of cake for garnish.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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