Easter Sunday Dessert from the Troutbeck Kitchen

Eats by Emma

Easter Sunday Dessert from the Troutbeck Kitchen
Photo by Jim Henkens

My name is Emma and I'm the pastry chef at Troutbeck in Amenia, N.Y.  In 2013, I went to culinary school in Cambridge, Mass., and turned my passion into a career.  Since then, I have worked at The Fearrington House Inn, a Relais & Châteaux property in Pittsboro, N.C., BakeHouse and Carmella’s Kitchen in Charleston, S.C., and The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach, Fla. Now I get to share my recipes with you.

It’s the perfect time of year for that crowd-pleasing carrot cake!  Whether you want to impress your in-laws for Easter or just want a tasty dessert (or indulgent breakfast!) to enjoy with a cup of coffee, this carrot cake will not disappoint.  Personally, I don’t love overly sweet frosting, but this cream cheese recipe is the exception.  The carrot cake is great but, for me, it’s a vehicle for the frosting.  A little sweet with a little tang, and a pop of orange, this cream cheese frosting will have you licking your spatula and bowl.  Have fun, get messy, and enjoy!

 

Carrot Cake

Makes one, two-layer carrot cake (8 or 9-inch).

2 cups (250 grams) all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 large eggs

1 ¼ cups (240 grams) sugar

1 ¾ cups (385 grams) oil

1 cup (120 grams) walnuts (chopped)

3 cups (330 grams) carrots (pealed and shredded)

Zest of one orange (optional, see notes)

1 teaspoon cardamom (optional, see notes)

 

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350F.

2. Lightly grease two 8 or 9 inch cake pans and line the bottom with parchment and set aside.

3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (cardamom if using) together in a bowl and set aside.

4. Peel and shred your carrots and set aside (should be about 3 large carrots).

5. Chop your nuts into small/medium pieces and add to your shredded carrots.

6. In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs and sugar.  Slowly add oil and whisk until combined.

7. Using a spatula, fold carrots and nuts into egg mixture (add orange zest if using).

8. Fold dry ingredients into mixture in three batches. Mix until all dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not over mix.

9. Divide your batter evenly into your greased and parchment lined cake pans.

10. Bake at 350F for about 20 to 35 minutes.  Oven times may vary.  Cook until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.

11. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.  When cake pans are cool enough to touch, remove cakes from pans and let cool at room temperature completely.

 

Notes:  If you want to jazz up the flavors, add zest of an orange!  You can also cut the cinnamon in half and add a teaspoon of cardamom to spice things up.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups (450 grams) cream cheese

8 tablespoons (4 ounces) butter

1 ¾ cups (350 grams) powdered sugar

Zest of half and orange

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

 

Method

1. In the bowl of a standing mixer, mix your cream cheese with a paddle attachment until smooth (Pull your cream cheese and butter out a few hours before and let come to room temperature).

2. While cream cheese is mixing, sift your powdered sugar and set it aside in a bowl.

3. When cream cheese is smooth, add room temperature butter and mix until smooth.

4. Add sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest.  Mix until incorporated.

5. At speed one, add sifted powdered sugar small amounts at a time.  Mix until smooth (For a lighter and fluffier texture, switch to a whisk attachment and whip frosting on medium/high until fluffy.).

6. Use right away or store in the fridge until you a ready to use. Can be frozen for later use.   

 

Notes: Pull your butter and cream cheese out the night before (or a few hours before).  It will be smoother and easier to work with.

 

Assemble

1. When cakes are cool, trim off the domed top of each cake to make them level.

2. Using your spatula, spread about a cup and a half (or as much as you want), on top of the fist layer of carrot cake.  Make sure to spread the frosting to the outer edges of the cake.

3. Flip the second layer of cake over and place on top of the frosted first layer.

4. Gently build more cream cheese frosting around the outside and top of the layers to cover the cake completely.  In order to get a nice wavy texture, rotate your wrist in quick swooshing movements. Continue around the entire cake.

 

Enjoy!

Latest News

Thanks To You, Our Recent Donors

Thanks To You, Our Recent Donors

Your contributions over the last year have made delivering trusted, local news possible.

Listed are donors who generously made a gift to The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News between January 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026*

Keep ReadingShow less

Swift House committee learns of potential buyer at first meeting

Swift House committee learns of potential buyer at first meeting

Swift House in Kent.

By Ruth Epstein

KENT — The fate of the Swift House is once again front and center after the newly formed Swift House Investigation Committee held its first meeting Tuesday, Feb. 24 — and learned that a local attorney is interested in buying the historic property.

At the meeting’s outset, committee member Marge Smith said local attorney Anthony Palumbo has expressed interest in purchasing the building. “He loves it and said he’d be honored to buy it and maybe lease part of it back to the town. He would be OK with a conservation easement.” She said he supports several previously proposed uses, including a welcome center and exhibition space.

Keep ReadingShow less
history

Sharon median home price rises to $710,000 as inventory tightens

Sharon median home price rises to $710,000 as inventory tightens

119 Amenia Union Road — A four-bedroom, 2.5-bath home built in 1872 on 4.42 acres recently sold for $522,500.

Photo by Christine Bates

SHARON — The 12-month trailing median price for a single-family home in Sharon increased to $710,000 for the period ending Jan. 31, 2026 — its highest point since September 2024 as home values across much of Connecticut continued to edge higher.

The figure marks an increase from the $560,000 median recorded for the 12 months ending Jan. 31, 2025, and from $645,000 for the comparable period ending Jan. 31, 2024. While January and February are typically slow months, the 12-month rolling figure reflects a broader reset.

Keep ReadingShow less
real estate
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Kent's towering snowman honors Robbie Kennedy

Kent's towering snowman honors Robbie Kennedy

Jeff Kennedy visits the 20-foot-high snowman located in the Golden Falcon lot in Kent that was created in honor of his late brother Robbie Kennedy.

Photo by Ruth Epstein

KENT – Snowman Robbie stands prominently in the center of town, just as its namesake — longtime Kent resident Robbie Kennedy — did for so many years.

The 20-foot-high frozen sculpture pays tribute to Kennedy, who died Feb. 9, at the age of 71. A beloved member of the community, he was a familiar sight riding his bicycle along town roads waving to all he passed. Many people knew him from his days working at Davis IGA, the local supermarket. He was embraced by the Kent Fire Department, where he was named an active emergency member and whose members chipped in to buy him a new bike, and by the Kent School football team where coach Ben Martin made him his assistant. At Templeton Farms senior apartments, he was the helpful tenant, always eager to assist his neighbors.

Keep ReadingShow less
community

Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Classifieds - February 26, 2026

Help Wanted

PART-TIME CARE-GIVER NEEDED: possibly LIVE-IN. Bright private STUDIO on 10 acres. Queen Bed, En-Suite Bathroom, Kitchenette & Garage. SHARON 407-620-7777.

The Salisbury Association’s Land Trust seeks part-time Land Steward: Responsibilities include monitoring easements and preserves, filing monitoring reports, documenting and reporting violations or encroachments, and recruiting and supervising volunteer monitors. The Steward will also execute preserve and trail stewardship according to Management Plans and manage contractor activity. Up to 10 hours per week, compensation commensurate with experience. Further details and requirements are available on request. To apply: Send cover letter, resume, and references to info@salisburyassociation.org. The Salisbury Association is an equal opportunity employer.

Keep ReadingShow less

To save birds, plant for caterpillars

To save birds, plant for caterpillars

Fireweed attracts the fabulous hummingbird sphinx moth.

Photo provided by Wild Seed Project

You must figure that, as rough as the cold weather has been for us, it’s worse for wildlife. Here, by the banks of the Housatonic, flocks of dark-eyed juncos, song sparrows, tufted titmice and black-capped chickadees have taken up residence in the boxwood — presumably because of its proximity to the breakfast bar. I no longer have a bird feeder after bears destroyed two versions and simply throw chili-flavored birdseed onto the snow twice a day. The tiny creatures from the boxwood are joined by blue jays, cardinals and a solitary flicker.

These birds will soon enough be nesting, and their babies will require a nonstop diet of caterpillars. This source of soft-bodied protein makes up more than 90 percent of native bird chicks’ diets, with each clutch consuming between 6,000 and 9,000 caterpillars before they fledge. That means we need a lot of caterpillars if we want our bird population to survive.

Keep ReadingShow less
the ungardener
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.