John David Finley: India Pale Ale the right contrast for carrot cake - Santa Maria Times

Most people think of an India Pale Ale (IPA) as bracingly dry and bitter, and practically no one expects that to taste great with dessert. But the everywhere present and ever popular craft IPAs often make an excellent dessert pairing used in contrast to an oil filled carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting.

The thick, palate-coating frosting and rich cake can take the edge off the bitterness of an IPA and unite the contrasting elements, allowing the bright aromatics of the beer to interact in an unusual way with those of the cake.

On another level, the sweet carrot and caramelized sugar flavors in the cake connect well with gentle caramel flavors in the beer, while citrus flavors from hops are enhanced by the sweet-tart vanilla flavored frosting. But you need the right IPA to make this a truly great pairing; one with a little malty sweetness and fruity hop character.

Carrot Cake

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup all-vegetable shortening (or canola oil)

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2-1/2 cups carrots grated (approx. 1 lb.)

1 cup chopped nuts

1 small can crushed pineapple, thoroughly drained

In a medium mixing bowl blend eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla extract. Sift in flour, and add baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Blend ingredients with a mixer, then and add carrots, nuts, and pineapple and mix thoroughly by hand. Pour into 2 greased and lightly floured 9-by-1-1/2-inch round pans and bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until done. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans onto a cooling rack.

Frosting

1 cube (1/2c) butter or margarine

8-ounce package cream cheese

1-lb box powdered sugar

Blend ingredients with mixer and frost cake after it has cooled thoroughly. Frosting can also be used as filling between layers.

Pair this with Firestone Walker’s Easy Jack Session IPA. This beer came about when Brewmaster Matt Brynildson went to the mountain top and returned with a vision for a different breed of IPA, brewed and dry hopped with a globetrotting selection of newer hop varieties from Germany, New Zealand and North America. This is a beer that delivers massive hop aromas, a signature malt balance, and all of the flavor you want from a classic IPA at just 120 calories. With notes of orange zest, melon and tropical fruit, and an underlying hint of pine, this beer is kettle-hopped with CTZ, Amarillo, and Simcoe, and then dry-hopped with Mosaic, Mandarina, Melon, Citra, and Amarillo.

Brewed with two-row Pale Malt, Malted Wheat, Cara Pils, Rolled Oats, Munich Malt, and Crystal Light, this lighter and drier IPA really works with the carrot cake, since there is a suggestion of sweetness from the citrusy and tropically fruity hops. ABV: 4% IBU: 40. Enjoy!

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