Peanut Crunch Carrot Cake with Coffee Caramel Frosting

Peanut Crunch Carrot Cake with Coffee Caramel Frosting

By: Joanne M. - Dothan, AL - 2017 Recipe Contest Submission

"Living in the Peanut Capital of the World, your Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee intrigued me. This coffee is so delicious I just had to incorporate it in my carrot cake recipe with a unique twist. The perfect combination of coffee, peanut butter, caramel, carrots and mixed nuts make for a sensational carrot cake. This cake will be a show stopped at any gathering with a fresh brewed pot of Door County Coffee."

 

This is a Door County Coffee Fan recipe. It was not made in the kitchens of the Door County Coffee Café.

 

Ingredients

Featured ingredient: Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee 10 oz. Ground

Coffee Roasted Nuts:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups salted mixed nuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

Carrot Cake:

  • 1 box Carrot Cake mix
  • 1 cup hot Door County Peanut Butter Crunch coffee, reserve 2 tablespoons
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple, well drained
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup carrot juice
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted, cooled
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

Caramel Peanut Butter Frosting:

  • 12 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 (15 oz) can Dulce de Leche
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar

 

Instructions

Coffee Roasted Nuts:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. In a large sauce pan melt butter oven medium heat, add both sugars, garam masala and cinnamo. Stir constantly until sugars are dissolved.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in nuts and peanuts until well coated. Spread coated nuts over prepared baking sheet, then evenly sprinkle coffee grounds over nuts.
  4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring after 4 minutes. Allow to cool completely,

Carrot Cake:

  1. Grease and flour two 8 inch round cake pans.
  2. Stir together the 1 cup of hot Door County Peanut Butter Crunch coffee, bourbon, butter, shredded carrots, raisins, and pineapple. Let refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  3. Beat eggs for 3 minutes. Add buttermilk, orange and carrot juices and oil in large bowl, beat additional 1 minute.
  4. Add cake mix and brown sugar, mix well. Fold in coffee carrot raisin mixture and 1/4 cup nuts.
  5. Evenly divide batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until done. Cool in cake pans for 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely,

Caramel Peanut Butter Frosting:

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter for 3 minutes. Add dulce de leche, peanut butter and reserved coffee, mix well. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth.

Assemble Cake:

  1. Place one cake layer on serving plate, spread top with 3/4 cup frosting.
  2. Top with remaining cake and frost top and sides of cake.
  3. Press 1/2 cup nuts around the base of the cake. Then evenly sprinkle remaining nuts on top of cake around the edge and center.

Serves 8 to 12