3 Things Every Carrot Cake Needs

Okay...maybe just two.  You don't have to get all fancy with the little candy carrots if you don't want.

I have started making all carrot cakes with these two crazy important and easy items...butterscotch sauce and maple syrup cream cheese icing.  I got the recipes from the Saltysweets cookbook.

For the butterscotch sauce, you will need

1 1/2 cups of light brown sugar, packed
1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of fine sea salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan.  Try to use one with higher sides so you don't have sauce boiling over.  Put on low heat until the butter melts and then stir everything together.  Place on high heat and bring the mixture to a boil.

Let the sauce boil for 3 to 4 minutes WITHOUT stirring it.  Once the time is up, pull the pan off the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.   You can use it immediately or store in the fridge for a day. Just reheat and pour it on the bottom layer of cake before you frost it and place a second layer on.

** Just a warning here.  Let the sauce soak into the cake a little.  It can make for a slippery little devil to ice if you don't.

Now onto the frosting.

For the maple syrup cream cheese frosting, you will need

10 ounce of cream cheese

3/4 stick of unsalted butter, softened

3 cups of powdered sugar

1/3 cup of pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt

Beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth.  Add in your powdered sugar and combine. Toss in the maple syrup and salt and mix well.  The frosting can be stored in the fridge up to a day before you use it.  It remains rather soft, so don't expect any fancy piping work to come from it.

And for the candy carrots, I referred to this post from the The Decorated Cookie.

Try the butterscotch sauce on your next carrot cake at least.  You will be forever thankful.

You're welcome.