Chocolate Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake

1 1/2 cups (375 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 ml) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) sugar
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 ml) melted unsalted butter, partially cooled
2 cups (500 ml) grated carrots
4 oz (110 g) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Sour Cream and White Chocolate Icing

12 oz (335 g) white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream

Candied Carrots

1/2 cup (125 ml) orange juice
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 small, thick carrots, thinly sliced lengthwise on a mandolin (12 slices needed)

Cake

With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter two 20-cm (8-inch) springform pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until the mixture turns pale and doubles in volume, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, gently fold in the melted butter. Gently whisk in the dry ingredients. Add the grated carrots and chocolate.

Pour the batter into the pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to separate it from the pan. Unmould onto a cooling rack and let cool.

Sour Cream with White Chocolate Icing

Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie or double boiler. Remove from the heat. Add the sour cream and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside until the cake is fully cooled, about 2 hours.

With an electric mixer, beat the chocolate mixture until it stiffens slightly, about 2 minutes. If necessary, refrigerate for a few minutes. Ice the top of both cakes. Set 1 cake on top of the other.

Candied Carrots

In a saucepan, bring the orange juice and sugar to a boil. Add the sliced carrots. Simmer until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes depending on thickness.

Let cool completely. Drain. Twist each carrot slice and arrange on the cake to mark the slices.