I have been asked to make a wedding cake (my first) with a difference. The bottom tier is to be chocolate and the top tier they want carrot cake. I had never made carrot cake before and this weekend I tried it out. I used a recipe which included raisins but that seems to have raised a few eyebrows. I don't eat carrot cake so i'm a bit unsure, does it normally have raisins? Most of the recipes I looked at either included raisins/sultanas or nuts. I guess I just need a cake bakers opinion.
My second query on this is to do with the covering of the cake. The wedding is on a Friday and is not located near me, therefore the bride wants to collect the cake on the Thursday before hand. I work full time so baking and decorating has to take place in the evening, therefore i need to have the cake complete on the Wednesday evening. As a result of this I cannot do a cream cheese covering or filling given that it needs to be refrigerated. I am intending to have a vanilla buttercream filling with a fondant cover. Can I get a second opinion on this?
I don't know if it normally has raisins but I learned a long time ago that 'normal' is relative ;-) Was it nice? There are hundreds of recipes out there - I my standard carrot cake is banana, carrot and walnut.
As for the timings, I wouldn't use cream cheese filling. How far in advance you can make the cake depends on the sponge. I bake on Wednesday for a Saturday wedding as standard. I know some carrot cake recipes say they will last for a fortnight but it depends on yours. Good luck x
Traditionally carrot cake has raisins and nuts. What has become more common is to add carrots to a spice cake and call it carrot cake. You might want to check with the bride as to her expectations.
I'm not sure what to tell you regarding the icing - I would have the same question if I were in your situation.
I always make carrot cakes and you can use your discretion or that of the bride in this case. There have been times where people have said no nuts due to allergies or no nuts or raisins. I haven't tried using a spice cake and adding carrots so I'm not sure how that would taste.
if they wanted raisins in it i would chop them and the nuts as well so the cakes cut/serve cleanly unless they bought extra servings to allow for the big blobs in there
and after grating i also chop the carrots real fine -- always use organic fresh that i grate myself and squeeze out the juice -- very refreshing treat during the cake making :)
Thanks for your comments everyone.
The sample I made was delicious and a huge hit with everyone who tried it. I might just consult the bride as its best for her to make the decision.
Whether carrot cake has raisins or nuts is totally a personal preference.. definitely ask the couple what they like. The recipe I use at work is a spice cake with carrot in it as my boss prefers it that way; w/o nuts/ raisins/ pineapple. However, if a customer wants any of them we just fold them into the batter.
Since you have to make the cake in advance I would recommend brushing the cake with a simple syrup to seal it and keep it moist.. definitely avoid the cream cheese icing. I like using swiss buttercream for wedding cakes instead of american style as its very stable in any weather ..to make the filling a little more fancy you could add a bit of cinnamon, caramel, or coconut extract to the buttercream :)
I think the brown sugar buttercream is a good option. My personal opinion is that I don't think I would like carrot cake with traditional buttercream. I did go to a wedding once that had a three teir spice cake with cream cheese icing that seemed to hold up just fine. By the way, I love Cake Planet's carrot cake! It always get rave reviews with my family and friends .
I think the brown sugar buttercream is a good option. My personal opinion is that I don't think I would like carrot cake with traditional buttercream. I did go to a wedding once that had a three teir spice cake with cream cheese icing that seemed to hold up just fine. By the way, I love Cake Planet's carrot cake! It always get rave reviews with my family and friends .
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