Spiced Carrot Cake with Creamy Mascarpone Frosting

by Jo-Anne van den Berg-Ohms

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 tablespoon finely diced
• crystallized ginger
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup golden raisons
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Creamy Mascarpone Frosting

• 6 ounces cream cheese
• 6 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two cake pans or two bread pans. Beat eggs lightly. Add sugar: beat until light and fluffy. Mix in carrots. Add oil, pineapple, crystallized ginger and coconut, mixing to blend. Add dry ingredients and vanilla: mix until just blended. By hand, stir in raisons and walnuts. Bake in prepared pans for one hour. Let sit at room temperature to cool. Remove from cake pans to cooling racks. Beat room temperature cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and butter together. Add confectioner’s sugar in parts, beating slowly to blend. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest, blending until smooth. Frost cooled cakes. For fun, garnish with long, skinny microplaned, sugar-coated carrot ribbons.