The Epicurious Cookbook by Tanya Steel Page B

finely, I coarsely chopped them and mixed with the graham cracker crumbs. The larger pieces of almond gave the crust a nutty and crunchy consistency that contrasted well with the smooth filling.”
    A cook, Washington, D.C.
    triple-layer carrot cake with cream cheese frosting
    This carrot cake from Becky Guyton, a home cook in Ohio, is one of our most beloved recipes, perhaps because it achieves the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, spongy and creamy, dense and light. Originally appearing in a 1994
Bon Appétit
column, it’s almost as moist as bread pudding. To cut back on the sweetness, just reduce the amount of sugar in the icing to three cups.
    YIELD: MAKES 10 SERVINGS
    FOR CAKE
    2 cups granulated sugar
    1½ cups vegetable oil
    4 large eggs
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    3 cups finely grated peeled carrots (about 1 pound)
    ½ cup chopped pecans (about 1½ ounces)
    ½ cup raisins
    FOR FROSTING
    4 cups confectioners’ sugar
    2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
    ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
    4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    Special equipment: 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with 1½-inch sides
    MAKE CAKE
    1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease 3 (9-inch) round cake pans. Line the bottom of the pans with wax paper. Lightly grease the wax paper.
    2. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar and oil in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the sugar and oil mixture. Stir in the carrots, chopped pecans, and raisins.
    3. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of each comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out the cakes onto the racks and cool completely.
    MAKE FROSTING AND ICE CAKE
    1. Using an electric mixer, beat all the ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.
    2. Place one cake layer on a platter. Spread with ¾ cup frosting. Top with another cake layer. Spread with ¾ cup frosting. Top with remaining cake layer.
    3. Using an icing spatula, spread the remaining frosting in decorative swirls over the sides and top of cake. Serve cake cold or at room temperature.
    “Wonderfully light, moist and tasty. I divided the batter into 2 pans instead of 3 and baked it for about 45 minutes. Since this was just a two-layer cake, I halved the frosting and added some grated lemon zest, which improved the taste.”
    A cook, Hudson Valley, New York
    do ahead:
    The CAKE LAYERS can be baked 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.
    The CAKE can be completely assembled and frosted 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.

    Gluten-Free Lemon Layer Cake
    gluten-free lemon layer cake
    This lemon layer cake is the ultimate dessert for anyone with a gluten-free diet. You may need to hit up a specialty shop or go online for some of the ingredients, but it’s well worth the effort. A brown-rice flour mix combined with the xanthan gum creates light, moist cake layers, while guar gum thickens the rich, silky curd. Generous amounts of lemon zest, juice, and extract infuse the layers, filling, and frosting, adding up to a full-on citrus celebration. Make this cake—or turn it into cupcakes—for birthdays, barbecues, or holidays.
    YIELD: MAKES 8 SERVINGS
    FOR CAKE LAYERS
    2½ cups Brown-Rice Flour Mix (recipe follows)
    ½ teaspoon salt
    1 tablespoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon xanthan gum
    1 cup milk
    1 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing pans
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    1 tablespoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
    2 cups granulated sugar
    4 large eggs
    FOR LEMON CURD
    2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
    ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
    ¼ cup plus 2