Spiced Carrot Baba Au Rhum with Candied Carrots and Pistachios

This is another showstopping recipe from Fine Cooking. It was in their holiday baking issue, Sweet Cakes, which is still for sale. So don't walk, you need to run out and buy this magazine.

Okay, let me say a little something about carrot cakes. First, I love the taste and smell of a carrot cake. All the ingredients meld together into perfection. And this recipe is especially good with its carrot juice reduction..... yum.

Now comes the downer part, I'm not a big fan of cream cheese frosting, it's too sweet. I hear some of you snickering because I said too sweet. But it's true, I don't like a heavy dose of confectioners' sugar. Now comes the good new, this recipe has no frosting at all. All it has is a beautiful display of candied carrots and a colorful sprinkling of pistachios. It truly is showstopping.

Ingredients for the Cake:
2 cups carrot juice
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (I had no fresh ginger. I did have dry ground ginger but I decided to use cinnamon instead, 1/2 teaspoon)
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened; more for the molds
1- 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; more for the molds
1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice (I didn't have this spice so I used apple pie spice)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground star anise (I didn't have this spice so I just omitted it)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios (for garnish)

Ingredients for the Candied Carrots:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into long julienne strands to yield 1 cup
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole star anise (I omitted this spice)

Directions for Cake:
1. Combine the carrot juice and ginger in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 325 degrees, butter and flour 8 baba au rhum molds (2-1/4 to 2-1/2 inches tall). Set aside on a large rimmed baking sheet.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, allspice, cinnamon, star anise, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. On medium-low speed, add one of the eggs, mix until mostly blended, and then add the remaining egg. On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the carrot reduction in tow additions each. Mix each addition until just combined.

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared molds, filling each a little more than half full. Swirl the batter with a skewer to smooth the tops. Bake the cakes until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 20 to 22 minutes. Cool the cakes on a rack for 10 minutes and then carefully invert to remove from the molds. Cool the cakes upright on the rack. The cakes may be served warm or at room temperature.

Directions for Candied Carrots:
1. Bring the sugar and 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the carrots, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer; simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are translucent, soft,a and slightly sticky to the touch, about 30 minutes. Discard the cinnamon and star anise. Remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve the syrup.

2. To serve, dip each cake in the syrup for about 3 seconds,pit it on a dessert plate, and drizzle with about 1 teaspoon syrup. Garnish with the candied carrots and pistachios.