Tag Archives: frosting

A perfectly spiced carrot cake


carrot cake

It’s been long i want to make a carrot cake. At last i found the right time with the best recipe to welcome my parents who are coming to visit me.

The secret behind a successful carrot cake is a the well balanced taste of spices in the batter and the perfect sweet taste of the cream cheese. I believe this recipe really nailed it.

I mentioned in the previous post that mom and dad are coming to visit us in Doha. Last time they were here, i welcomed them with the spectacular chocolate cake with red fruits, and it was a hit. This time should not be less at least. A moist fresh carrot cake with cream cheese frosting to say Ahla w sahla!

carrot cakeIf you like this cute welcome bunting, click here to download a printable file. You can make it yourself using two wooden sticks (or straws) and a green thread (or whatever color you want) to attach on it the letters. I believe simplicity is the best. Welcome mom and dad, Nady and Joud are so delighted to have teta and jeddo with us!

carrot cakeTo make this fab cake you need:

  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 500g finely grated fresh carrots

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and flower two 9″ round baking pan.

In a bowl mix oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined then add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg then add them to the liquid mixture and mix until all well combined and smooth. Finally fold in the grated carrots.

Pour the batter equally in the prepared baking dishes and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden skewer comes out clean.

When they cool off, layer them with the cream cheese and frost outside the cake as you desire, i made it look like a big carrot adding orange and green food coloring to the cream cheese.

carrot cakecarrot cake

To prepare the cream cheese you need:

  • 600g cream cheese
  • 200g butter
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In an electric mixer cream together cream cheese and butter until no lumps remaining. Add the vanilla and salt and combine. Lower the speed and add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time and after the last cup increase the speed to medium high and beat until combined.

Some people likes it with walnuts or raisins. You can add some between the layers if you fancy.

This cake stays up to 4 days covered in the fridge. I suggest to serve immediately and enjoy it with your favorite people. I can’t wait!

carrot cakecarrot cakeIf you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

Decadent chocolate cake


IMG_4369If you think i am exaggerating when i say this is the best basic recipe for a chocolate cake, try it and prove me wrong! I am sure you will be checking this recipe over and over and over….

If you remember my spectacular chocolate cake with red fruits i did a year go, you will find that this is the same recipe of the chocolate cake, but this one with nutella butter frosting.

Trust me with or without frosting, ganache or fruits, it’s a staple chocolate cake for all the occasions and times.

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To bake the cake you need:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup, unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 11/2 tsps baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 1/2 tbsps instant coffee powder
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 2 large eggs

Preheat oven on 180ºC. In a large bowl, sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the sugar and mix well with the dry ingredients.

Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, vanilla essence and eggs then mix. Finally add the hot coffee melted in the cup of hot water.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Start checking from 35 mins onwards.

I should mention that my little baker helped me to prepare this cake!

my ittle baker

For the frosting you need:

  • 200g nutella
  • 200g butter
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar

Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar, then vanilla and pinch of salt and mix until combined.

Add nutella and beat until fluffy. When ready to use stir in the granulated sugar without over mixing, it will give you a light crunchiness effect later when savoring the cake.

I used 1M Wilton tip to create the swirls, and decorated it with some cherries. You can replace the cherry with strawberry or chocolate sprinkles if you want.

IMG_4368I put it couple of hours in the fridge before serving. But guess what?! the next day was even better!

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By the way, this was my birthday cake (last week) but i didn’t find the urge to post it, I was enjoying reading and over reading, everyday and many times for the whole week, the surprise post my husband did.

Again thank you babes for the beautiful unexpected surprise! Love xx

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