Chocolate Orange Carrot Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, applesauce and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Fold in the carrots with a rubber spatula.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans; bake until each cake pulls away slightly from the side of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert onto the rack to cool completely; remove the parchment.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Heat the heavy cream until almost simmering in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and butter and let sit, without stirring, 5 minutes; stir until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread the top with 1 cup frosting; refrigerate until the frosting is set, about 10 minutes. Top with the second cake layer and spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and side; refrigerate until set, about 10 minutes. Cover the cake with the remaining frosting.
• Make the web topping: Beat the marshmallows and food coloring in a large bowl with a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on low speed until the marshmallows break up, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium high and beat until glossy and smooth. Using two forks, pull out about 1 tablespoon of marshmallow at a time, stretch into thin strands and drape over the top of the cake to create a web. Photograph by Kate Mathis

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the softened butter and 1 tablespoon of the cocoa to make a thick paste. Use this paste to paint the inside of the Bundt pan. Set aside.
• In an electric mixer, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and remaining 1/2 cup cocoa and mix until blended. Add the orange juice, mayonnaise, vinegar and vanilla and mix until just combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in the orange zest. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean, 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the chocolate glaze: Mix the confectioners' sugar and cocoa together. Whisk in the orange juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches a good consistency to drizzle. Drizzle the glaze over the cake.

Steps:

• Line two 9-in. round baking pans with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the carrots, sugar, oil and eggs until well blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into carrot mixture until blended., Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in the confectioners' sugar, cocoa and vanilla until smooth. , Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with half of the frosting. Repeat with remaining cake layer. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate chips.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, make cake mix as directed on box. Beat in cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Pour into pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar until frosting is smooth and creamy. Spread on top of cake. Cut into 4 rows by 3 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining cake.