Claire Saffitz Makes Carrot and Pecan Cake | Dessert Person

Claire Saffitz makes carrot and pecan cake from her cookbook, Dessert Person. Claire’s interpretation of a classic carrot cake makes a celebration out of any occasion. This version has lots of well toasted pecans and a brown butter cream cheese frosting that is not to be missed under any circumstances. Watch Claire as she demonstrates how to achieve even, light layers and then assemble them into a cake that’s equal parts, impressive, satisfying, and delicious. Remember, as Julia Child said: “A party without cake is just a meeting!”

#ClaireSaffitz #DessertPerson #CarrotCake

Special Equipment:
Stand mixer
Three 8-inch cake pans

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pecan or walnut pieces and/or halves (5.3 oz/ 150g)
Neutral oil for the pans
1 pound (454g) carrots (about 5 large), coarsely grated (about 3 cups)
1 cup buttermilk, (8.5 oz / 240g), at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (11.4 oz /325g)
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder (0.28 oz/ 8g)
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (0.21 oz / 6g)
1 teaspoon baking soda (0.21 oz / 6 g)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs (7 oz / 200g), at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5.3 oz / 150g)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (5.3 oz / 150g)
1 cup neutral oil, such as vegetable or grapeseed (8 oz / 226g)
Classic Cream Cheese Frosting, Brown Butter Variation

Video Breakdown:
0:00 Start
0:07 Intro to Carrot and Pecan Cake
0:34 Show Intro / Animation
0:53 Carrot and Pecan Cake Recipe
1:53 Special Equipment / Ingredients
2:54 Toast Pecans
3:16 Mix The Wet Ingredients
6:27 Mix Dry Ingredient & Make Batter
11:46 Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
13:48 Felix Cameo
18:23 Frost The Cake
23:12 Taste/Wrap

Dessert Person Cookbook
Photographer: Alex Lau
Food Stylist: Sue Li
Prop Stylist: Astrid Chastka

Video Series:
Producer/Director: Vincent Cross
Camera Operator: Calvin Robertson
Sound Engineer/Music: Michael Guggino
Editor: Brooke Shuman

Animation Credits:
Character Designer/Animator: Jack Sherry
Character Rigger: Johara Dutton
Background/Prop Designer: M. Cody Wiley
Background Illustrator: Jagriti Khirwar

[CSaffitz]

Happy New Year!! What are you baking for the last day of 2020?

[BarDownSnizzzzy]

I've made this cake 4 times now since buying the book in October. It's literally the best cake I've ever eaten. I've never been a big frosting person but the browned butter frosting is AMAZING. could eat a tub of it by itself. BEST CAKE EVER

[iSkylar]

It's wonderful to see Claire not having a purposely induced meltdown and just doing her own thing.

[SilverPisces]

Clair every time she opens the fridge: "Oh no"

Fridge tour please.

[Kerry__jo]

I feel like Claire's apartment is always insanely hot because her oven is perpetually pre-heating to 350

[Small.Town.Wizard]

One thing I appreciate about Claire is that she has the energy and vibe of a yoga instructor, but for baking.

[eleanorsangree]

Words can't describe how happy I am that she started her own channel

[nanaevans]

We need a fridge tour. We NEED it, Vinny

[tati.l.]

“Make room in your fridge before starting this step” - aka Claire’s version of, “Do as I say not as I do.” 😂

[aprilsylvester]

Everyone: Raisin.

Claire: Sun-dried grape.

[peytonsplace]

The fact that she hates raisins in her baked goods let’s me know that she’s the TV chef for me 🙌🏾

[AllegraVivace]

Claire asking what Felix was "getting all turnt about" also made me lol

[miltonkorie]

My husband was in the other room while I was watching. I didn’t know he was listening, but he told me, “Claire really does have such calming energy. I can see why you like her” ☺️

[danaeantoine]

She just seems so much happier obviously being in her home, and making recipes she’s passionate about 🥰

[inmyglowupera]

I want bloopers where the crew eats what she makes and obviously give her praise

[matthewezzelle]

Claire!!! This recipe is incredible. I’ve been craving carrot cake and as a fan of yours, I’ve had this recipe stored. Well, I finally had a reason to bake a cake and I walked away feeling so good as everyone raved about the best carrot cake they had ever had. This coming from generations older than me and people who didn’t think they liked carrot cake. Biggest compliments were about the moistness of the cake and flavor of the frosting.

[katalinaa]

When the pecans went back into the oven remembering Claire saying she always burns nuts, my brain could not stop saying “Claire remember the pecans, THE PECANS CLAIRE”

[ayshaalex]

Why isn't anybody talking about animated claire she's so cute

[sophiashapiro]

petition to get Claire a goat for her carrots

[kit]

Classic Cream Cheese Frosting
2 sticks unsalted butter (8 oz / 227g), at room temperature
1 pound (454g) full-fat cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia, at room temperature
Generous pinch of kosher salt
1 pound (454g) powdered sugar (about 3½ cups), sifted if very lumpy
Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract