Carrot Cake with Marshmallow Fluff Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo Courtesy of  ~ Mrs. Regueiro's Plate

Carrot Cake with Marshmallow Fluff Cream Cheese Frosting ~ Mrs. Regueiro's Plate

Carrot Cake with Marshmallow Fluff Cream Cheese Frosting
Adapted from Bobby Flay

Ingredients:
¼ cup melted unsalted butter, cooled, plus more for buttering pan
1 cup pineapple chunks, drained
3 large eggs
½ cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound carrots, peeled and grated on the small holes of the grater (about 3 cups, lightly packed)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups organic cane sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup finely diced crystallized ginger
¾ cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans
Cream Cheese Marshmallow Frosting, recipe follows

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with rounded parchment paper. Butter the parchment well too.

In a food processor, pulse the pineapple until it is finely chopped. In the bowl of the stand mixer, add and beat the eggs for 10 seconds until combined. Combine the oil, ¼ cup melted butter, vanilla, carrots, chopped pineapple and grated fresh ginger and mix until combined.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt until combined. Add the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined. Remove and fold in the crystallized ginger and pecans. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 cake pans.

Bake for 40 to 55 minutes, or until golden brown. Place a toothpick in the center to make sure it comes out with few crumbs. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack and let them cool completely. Remove the parchment from the bottoms of each cake. Cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:3 tablespoons water
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved or vanilla bean paste
2 large egg whites
Pinch salt
Pinch cream of tartar
8 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1 stick unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 pound organic powdered sugar, sifted twice
2 cups Fluff
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the water, corn syrup, 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla bean to 246 degrees. Before adding the syrup to the egg whites below, carefully remove the vanilla bean. (Or add in the vanilla bean paste).

While the sugar warms up, whip the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until creamy and foamy, about 2 minutes. Still whisking, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until the whites hold very soft peaks, about 2 minutes. While mixing on slow speed, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup. Turn the mixer to high and whisk until thick, fluffy and just warm, about 7 minutes. Turn the mixer to low and whisk in the reserved vanilla seeds. Scrape the fluff into a bowl. Wash the bowl and whisk and return them to the machine.

Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of the mixer and mix until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Increase the speed and whip until light and fluffy. Add about 2 cups of Fluff and the vanilla and whip until combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until ready to frost the cake.

When ready to frost the cake, slice the top layers of the cake so they are even. Place one layer on your cake plate. Add a big dollop of frosting, and spread evenly. Add the top layer and evenly distribute the rest of the frosting on the top and on the sides of the cake.

Decorate with candied marzipan carrots, or sprinkles.

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Many thanks to MrsRegueiro.com!