While dining out with friends on evening in May 2012, for dessert, I ordered "Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese". That dessert stood out to me on the menu like a neon sign. In fact, my eyes bulged when I spotted it. Whatever else was included on that dessert menu did not matter; I set the menu down, shared my joy with a friend equally as enthusiastic about carrot cake and goat cheese, and waited anxiously for our server to return.
Carrot cake is among my favorite cakes, and the list is short. Goat cheese is for me what chocolate is for some. If goat cheese is on, in, or served along with something, there's a terrifically high chance I'll be interested in consuming the dish.
Hands down, it was the most delectable and memorable dessert I've ever eaten. Moist and uncomplicated carrot cake topped with a goat cheese frosting.
After making some guesses as to how the frosting was made, I asked our server to inquire with the chef about his willingness to divulge what ingredients were used to make it. The server returned and shared the following: cream cheese, goat cheese and confectioners sugar. My guess is that there was more to it than that, but felt armed with enough information to try and recreate the frosting at home. The recipe below is my best attempt to duplicate what topped that amazing dessert.
Goat Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. goat cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Using an electric mixer, blend the cheeses together. Then, with the mixer on low, add the confectioners sugar in small batches at a time. Once the sugar is incorporated, add the stick of softened butter and vanilla bean paste and mix well until the frosting is light and fluffy. Keep cool in the refrigerator until you're ready to use the frosting.
You'll find the recipe for the carrot cake cupcakes at the Smitten Kitchen food blog. The cupcakes are delicious! Their recipe calls for making the cupcakes with a maple cream cheese frosting, which sounds fantastic, but I had a bee in my bonnet about making goat cheese frosting. I plan to make these cupcakes again and do so according to the full Smitten Kitchen recipe. For now, it's all about the goat cheese frosting!
Carrot cake is among my favorite cakes, and the list is short. Goat cheese is for me what chocolate is for some. If goat cheese is on, in, or served along with something, there's a terrifically high chance I'll be interested in consuming the dish.
Hands down, it was the most delectable and memorable dessert I've ever eaten. Moist and uncomplicated carrot cake topped with a goat cheese frosting.
After making some guesses as to how the frosting was made, I asked our server to inquire with the chef about his willingness to divulge what ingredients were used to make it. The server returned and shared the following: cream cheese, goat cheese and confectioners sugar. My guess is that there was more to it than that, but felt armed with enough information to try and recreate the frosting at home. The recipe below is my best attempt to duplicate what topped that amazing dessert.
Goat Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 oz. goat cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 tsp Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
Using an electric mixer, blend the cheeses together. Then, with the mixer on low, add the confectioners sugar in small batches at a time. Once the sugar is incorporated, add the stick of softened butter and vanilla bean paste and mix well until the frosting is light and fluffy. Keep cool in the refrigerator until you're ready to use the frosting.
You'll find the recipe for the carrot cake cupcakes at the Smitten Kitchen food blog. The cupcakes are delicious! Their recipe calls for making the cupcakes with a maple cream cheese frosting, which sounds fantastic, but I had a bee in my bonnet about making goat cheese frosting. I plan to make these cupcakes again and do so according to the full Smitten Kitchen recipe. For now, it's all about the goat cheese frosting!
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