Carrot & Honeycomb Cake with Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting & Vanilla Bean Caramel

Carrot Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease and line two 9 inch round cake tins with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the grated carrots, yogurt, and milk.
3. In a different large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla for about 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the carrot mixture and oil, mixing until smooth. Fold in the dry ingredients and pecans until just combined.
4. Divide the batter evenly between the tins and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until golden and a skewer comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool completely.

Honeycomb

1. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
2. In a large pot, combine sugar, honey, and ¼ cup (60ml) water. Stir gently over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase to medium-high and boil. Don’t stir, just swirl the pan occasionally until the color turns a deep golden amber.
3. Working quickly, whisk in the baking soda and a pinch of salt. It will foam up fast! Immediately pour onto the prepared tray (don’t spread it) and let it cool completely. Once hardened, break into chunks and store in an airtight container.

Vanilla Bean Caramel

1. In a medium saucepan, add sugar and water. Stir just enough to combine, making sure the sugar is spread evenly. Heat over medium until the sugar dissolves and starts bubbling and once it’s bubbling, don’t stir. Let it cook until it turns a warm amber color (about 8–15 minutes).
2. Carefully whisk in the butter, it’ll bubble up! Then remove from the heat and slowly pour in the cream while whisking continuously. Add the vanilla and a pinch of sea salt. Let cool for 10 minutes, then pour into a jar to thicken as it cools.

Ginger Frostinig

1. Beat the icing sugar, butter, honey, vanilla, and ground ginger together for about 2 minutes until light and creamy.
2. Add the cream cheese and beat for another minute until smooth and fluffy.