Carrot Cake

The best there is!
From the former, but famous Commissary and the Frog
restaurant in Philadelphia in the 1970s.
They are both gone, but the cookbook remains!

PECAN CREAM FILLING:

1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
6 oz. (3/4 c.) unsalted butter
1 1/4 c. chopped pecans
2 tsp. vanilla extract

CARROT CAKE:

1 1/4 c. corn oil
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
4 c. grated carrots (about a 1 lb. bag)
1 c. chopped pecans
1 c. raisins

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

8 oz. soft unsalted butter
8 oz. soft cream cheese
1 1 lb. box powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

ASSEMBLY:

4 oz. shredded, sweetened coconut

Pecan Cream Filling:

In a heavy saucepan, blend well the sugar, flour and salt.
Gradually stir in cream.
Add the butter.
Cook and stir the mixture over low heat
until the butter has melted,
then simmer for 2--30 minutes until golden brown in color,
stirring occasionally.
Cool to lukewarm. Stir in the nuts and vanilla.
Let cool completely and then refrigerate,
preferably overnight.
If too thick to spread,
bring to room temperature before using.

CARROT CAKE

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Have ready a greased and floured 10" tube cake pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the corn oil and the sugar.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Sift half of the dry ingredients into the sugar-oil mixture and blend.
Alternately sift in the rest of the dry ingredients while adding the eggs,
one at a time. Combine well.
Add the carrots, raisins and pecans.
Pour into a prepared tube pan and bake for 70 minutes.
Cool upright in the pan on a cooling rack.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Cream the butter well.
Add the cream cheese and beat until blended.
Sift in the sugar and add the vanilla.
If too soft to spread, chill it for awhile.

ASSEMBLY

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Spread the coconut in a baking sheet and
bake it for 10-15 minutes until
it colors lightly.
Toss the coconut as it's baking so that it browns evenly.
Cool completely.
Have the filling and the frosting at spreadable consistency.

Loosen the cake in its pan
and invert onto a serving plate.
With a long serrated knife,
cut the cake into three layers.
Spread the filling between the layers.
Spread the frosting over the top and sides.
Pat the toasted coconut on the sides of the cake.
If desired, reserve 1/2 cup of frosting and color with green
and orange food coloring.
Decorates the cake with carrots, using 1/16" piping.
Serve at room temperature.

Cake can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours.
It also freezes well.
Four cups of ungrated, green apples or zucchini
can be subsituted.
This batter can be made as cupcakes, loaves or petit fours.
The filling can be used as topping for ice cream if warmed first.

From The Frog and Commissary Cookbook