Part 6/9:
Martha walks through her multi-layered process, starting with preparing the cake batter by whisking eggs, vanilla, and sugar, then incorporating buttermilk, grated carrots, and a touch of fresh ginger grated with a porcelain microplane. She uses unbleached all-purpose flour combined with spices, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and chopped toasted pecans. The batter is baked at 300°F for about an hour until a cake tester comes out clean.
The frosting is simple: cream cheese and butter blended with confectioners' sugar and a splash of orange zest, providing a bright, citrusy contrast to the rich cake. Martha emphasizes refrigerating the assembled cake for several hours to ensure it sets properly.