A couple of years ago a customer of Rimann Liquors, Linda Coon, graciously shared her Bourbon Carrot Cake recipe with me.  I have to say, it is one of the best Carrot Cakes I have tried.  Truly, a delight!  Don’t be dismayed by the length of time it takes to make this cake because it is well worth it!  Imagine how this layer cake on a beautiful cake stand would look.

If you would like to share one of your recipes, please email me at ann@rimannliquors.com.  I would love to try them personally and feature them in our newsletter!

-Ann Pontow, Office Manager at Rimann Liquors

BOURBON CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ½ cup bourbon
• 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 8 medium-sized carrots, peeled & coarsely shredded (about 4 ½ cups)
• 1 cup + 3 tablespoon ground walnuts or pecans

Frosting:

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter – softened
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-lb pkg (3 ½ cups) confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

1. Prepare cake: In a small bowl, combine raisins & bourbon; set aside for 1 hour

2. Heat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 2 – 9” round cake pans. In medium-sized bowl

combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside

3. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat oil, granulated sugar,

brown sugar, & eggs until well combined, scraping side of bowl occasionally with rubber spatula.

4. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour mixture just until combined. Do not overbeat. Drain raisins, reserving the bourbon. With rubber spatula, fold in 3 cups carrots, the raisins, and 1 cup of ground walnuts or pecans. Divide batter between pans.

5. Bake cake layers 35-40 minutes or until cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire racks and remove pans; cool cakes.

6. In a small saucepan, combine reserved bourbon and remaining 1 ½ cup carrots. Cook over high heat 2-3 minutes or just until carrots soften and most of the bourbon evaporates. Set aside to cool completely.

Prepare Frosting:

1. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Slowly beat in confectioners’ sugar until well combined

2. To Assemble Cake: Place 1 cake layer on serving plate and spread one-third of frosting over top. Place the other layer evenly on top of frosted layer. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle remaining bourbon-carrot shreds on top and side of frosted cake. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of ground walnuts or pecans around bottom edge of cake to form a border.