I’ve tried numerous carrot cake recipes throughout my life but this one is hands down the best (or at least my favorite). Featuring mascarpone and cream cheese frosting, it’s perfect for any occasion!
What is your favorite kind of cake?
Apple cake? Or maybe this awesome pineapple pound cake? Or this fancy new school green tea cake?
All these cakes are really awesome BUT.
It takes me no time at all to answer that question, as I love love love carrot cake. It is seriously the best, and hey, it has lots of carrots in it so it has got to be good for you, right?
Okay, I know I just like to say that to make myself feel better, but more carrots in your diet can’t hurt at all, am I right?
I remember the first time someone offered me a piece of carrot cake.
I’m sure I looked a bit surprised, because I honestly thought they were kidding. “Carrots? In a cake?” I could not imagine why anyone would want such a thing, but even as a child I never shied away from trying new foods.
I tried it, albeit hesitantly, but boy was I glad I did. It was delicious. An explosion of deliciously sweet flavors in a vegetable cake. Who knew?
Carrot cake is where I learned of my love for cream cheese frosting and the little orange frosting carrots that carrot cakes are often decorated with. It is also where I learned that veggies can make an awesome base for a cake, so not to fear when the next “vegetable cake” came my way.
I sometimes wonder how someone even thought to make a cake out of carrots.
Some historians say that they can trace the roots (roots, carrots see what I did there?) clear back to medieval times. One thing is for sure, people have been smart enough for centuries to know just how good carrot cake is and how well it can be enjoyed any time of the year.
Although my personal preference is to enjoy it in the winter. It is one of my favorite winter comfort treats.
In fact, carrots, in general, are one of my go-to foods in the wintertime since they go so well with just about everything (salads, soups, cookies, risotto, or even by themselves). Even though carrots are harvested in the spring and fall, my family tends to eat them most often in the cold time of the year.
I may like carrot cake a little bit too much, though. I will admit to eating carrot cake for breakfast more than once. I find it incredibly satisfying to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee (especially now when I got my first ever coffee machine for birthday) with moist and delicious piece of carrot cake.
The flavor burst is just right for getting your morning started off right. The combination of carrots, cinnamon and cream cheese are so good, you simply can’t say that it be eaten for dessert only. How about you? Have you ever enjoyed carrot cake for breakfast?
Because I love carrot cake so much, I have had a lot of different recipes, but this one is hands down the best carrot cake ever.
How to Make The Best Carrot Cake Ever
Let’s get started:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and then prep the pan. For this cake, use a 9-inch springform cake pan and line it with parchment paper, greasing the bottom and the sides.
Next, separate egg yolks from whites, keeping them both as they will both be needed in this recipe.
Using an electric mixer, beat together 1/2 cup sugar, butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Beat in the egg yolks.
Get a large mixing bowl and combine the flour and baking powder. Add in the almond flour and ground walnuts, mixing continuously. Set aside.
In another large bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add in the remaining ½ cup sugar (100g) and beat until stiff peaks.
Now combine together the butter mixture, flour and nut mixture, and grated carrots. Next, carefully (with a spatula) mix in the egg whites.
Now it’s time to transfer the mixture to your cake pan. Be sure to use a spatula to smooth out the top.
Bake your carrot cake for 1 hour to 1h 15 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven, let cool in a pan for 5 minutes and then place onto a cooling rack, remove parchment paper, and cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, confectioners sugar and orange zest with a handheld mixer. Continue beating until smooth.
Cut the cake in half, careful to keep it even.
Spread half the frosting on the top of one cake layer. Next, place the second cake layer on top of the frosted piece and spread the remaining frosting.
Sprinkle with the toasted almond flakes, if desired.
Enjoy!
The Best Ever Carrot Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 5 eggs
- 1 cup (200g) sugar , divided
- 1 1/3 cup butter , softened to room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- a pinch of salt
- zest from 1 orange
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (15g) baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups (120g) almond flour
- 1 1/4 cups (125g) ground walnuts
- 2/3 lb (300g) grated carrots
- toasted almond flakes , for topping (optional)
For the frosting:
- 8 oz. (225g) cream cheese
- 8 oz. (225g) mascarpone
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar , or to taste
- zest from 1 orange
Instructions
The cake.
- Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper and grease the bottom and the sides. Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Separate egg yolks from whites. We will need both
- In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together ½ cup sugar (100g), butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, and orange zest. Add the egg yolks and beat until smooth.
- In another large bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder. Add the almond flour and ground walnuts and mix again. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the remaining ½ cup sugar (100g) and beat until stiff peaks.
- Now combine together the butter mixture, flour and nut mixture, and grated carrots. Now carefully (with a spatula) mix in the egg whites.
- Transfer the mixture to the cake pan. Use a spatula to smooth out the top. Bake 1h - 1h 15 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in a pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack, peel off parchment paper, and cool completely.
The frosting.
- In a large bowl, with a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, confectioners sugar, and orange zest until smooth.
The assembly.
- Cut the cake in half. Spread half the frosting on the top of one cake layer. Place the second layer on top and spread the other half of the frosting. Sprinkle with the toasted almond flakes, if using. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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7 Comments
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
February 22, 2018 at 10:55 amCarrot cake is my most favourite cake ever and this looks absolutely delicious, so full of flavour!
Emma
February 22, 2018 at 11:09 amI am a HUGE carrot cake fan and definitely believe marscapone is the BEST in the cream cheese frosting. Fab recipe.
Demeter
February 22, 2018 at 1:13 pmOkay, picking my favorite kind of cake is probably the hardest thing I’m going to do today. ? This carrot cake looks spectacular!
christine
February 22, 2018 at 1:58 pmcarrot cake is by far the favorite of both me and my husband. it’s been so long since I made one. Thanks for this!
Danielle
February 22, 2018 at 2:03 pmCarrot cake is so delicious. And with marscapone cheese? YES. I love it. I’t too bad the boyfriend does not like carrot cake (I know, I know, so sad). I might just make it anyway.
Playful Cooking
February 18, 2019 at 7:33 pmI love everything carrot and this cake sounds so good! I often like it without frosting, keeping it simple and plain but that frosting you is perfect pairing for the cake.
Jovita
March 27, 2019 at 4:54 pmThank you! Who doesn’t love a good carrot cake, huh?