Each week, we receive a lot of questions about baking problems. We will definitely answer all of them; just give us some time to organize. Today, we tackle one of our favorite desserts, carrot cake.

Q: I inherited some carrot cake recipes from my mother.  My mother loved to bake and she collected a lot of recipes. My question is about the different carrot cake recipes. One has pineapple, another has desiccated coconut and another has raisins.  Do these ingredients contribute to the consistency of the cake? What exactly do they do to the cake? Thank you so much.  (Jenny Baon of Quezon City)

Adoree: Jenny, you’re one lucky lady.  I bet your mom has heirloom recipes that are worth your time. Regarding your question about the different versions, I bet they do not really differ in taste after baking. However, the different ingredients that you mentioned have a purpose. Rather than taste, they contribute to the consistency or texture of the carrot cake.  The desiccated coconut will act as a drying agent as well as a binder.  The pineapple will add moistness to the cake while the raisins will just give texture to the cake. 

Jun Jun: Hello, Jenny.  All the additional ingredients will have some effect on your final product’s look and presentation. Raisins, coconut and carrots are also bulking agents. Using these, the more expensive ingredients, which are walnuts in this case, can be lessened. Pineapples will add sweetness as well as bulk to your final product.  Don’t forget that these ingredients also contribute to the taste of carrots and heightens it too. 

Q: How come some carrot cakes have a nice deep color while mine is just the regular light brown color? Are there any secrets to making it darker? (Gail Vicente of Bulacan)

Adoree: Some recipes use brown sugar, but most use white sugar. The brown sugar used in the recipe will contribute to the darker color of the carrot cake.  The darker the brown sugar, the darker your carrot cake will be.

Jun Jun: If you want a dark brown color, use brown sugar with the deepest color. Adding a few drops of molasses will also give that coloring. It will also have a slight effect on the final taste of your product but one that will be surely enhance the flavor. 

Q: I like my carrot cake plain, without any cream cheese frosting. I want my carrot cake moist and the top should have this “wet” look that adds to the moistness of the cake. How can I make the top like that?  (Ina Toledo of Parañaque)

Adoree: Ina, if your carrot cake is really moist to start with, it will surely have that gloss on top. Aside from this, you can also brush the cake with a simple sugar syrup to make it a little “wet” on top.  You can prepare the syrup with two parts water and one part sugar.
Jun Jun:  Lessen the baking time by a few minutes, look inside the oven and check. Carrot cakes are usually baked for a longer time, so after 45 minutes, check the surface. Adding a bit more carrots will make it moist. 

Q: Can I bake my carrot cake recipe in a loaf pan? My recipe says that I bake it in two 8-inch pans. How do I ensure that the top will have no cracks? (Pin de Joya of Makati)

Adoree: Yes you may, Pin.  Just watch the baking time closely.  You will need to bake it longer when using a loaf pan.  Cracks on top are usually caused by high oven temperature. To ensure an even top, bake the cake at 325 F to 350 F.

Jun Jun: That’s correct, Pin.  Make sure that the oven temperature is not high enough to cause the sudden rise and breaking of the surface. You can bake your carrot cake in any pan, just make sure to lessen or increase your baking time depending on the size of the pan. 

Q: Do I have to roast the walnuts called for in my carrot cake recipe? Another question, does roasting the nuts remove the “off” aftertaste of nuts? Thanks in advance. (Leni Quintorno of Quezon City)

Adoree: For your carrot cake, you do not need to roast the nuts since you are going to bake them together with the batter anyway. Nuts are generally roasted if they will no longer pass through any form of heat, like for sprinkling on top of the icing.

The reason for the roasting of nuts is to let its flavor and aroma come out. If you have nuts that have turned rancid, roasting will help lessen the ‘off’ taste, but definitely not remove it.

Jun Jun: Rancidity cannot be removed from nuts by roasting. It sometimes makes it even stronger.  Roasted nuts are for decorating and garnishing only. They are roasted so that the oils in them that give flavor are released.

Questions? Email us at mbdining@gmail.com.