Moist carrot cake – the spring classic. But this one’s a little different: it’s ultra-mega moist, melt-in-your-mouth, soft and evenly textured, and has a fresh hint of orange. It’s paired with a light whipped cream and mascarpone frosting, which is optional but takes the flavor to the next level. You just have to try this combination.
Moistness and texture of this carrot cake
Most carrot cakes are made with coarsely grated carrots, nuts, and raisins. But I’ve been dreaming of a carrot cake with a soft texture, where the carrots are seamlessly blended, there’s nothing crunchy, and every bite of the cake melts in my mouth. This may sound like a strange dream, but if you had a similar one, this recipe is for you.
I grated the carrots very finely, almost pureed them, and it gave the cake three very good qualities. First, extra moisture: the finer you grate the carrots, the more juice they release. Second, that nice even texture I’ve been talking about. And last but not least, have you noticed that vibrant color? More carrot juice means more color!
Spices for the carrot cake
In general, I am a fan of cloves, but there are none in this cake. As much as I love the flavor, it’s really overpowering, and every cake with it tastes similar. So there is not much difference; it was made with carrots, pumpkin, or even molasses. I kept the spice mix simple, choosing the ones that bring out the flavor (and color) of the carrots: cinnamon, ginger, and orange.
Video Instructions
Carrot Cake With Mascarpone Frosting
This ultra-mega moist carrot cake has a soft and even texture that just melts in your mouth.
- Prep Time15 min
- Bake / Cook Time50 min
- Total Time1 hr 5 min
- Yield12 serv.
- Cake Tin Size20 cm / 8 inch
Ingredients
For the cake
- 300 g | 10.6 oz carrots
- 210 g | 7.4 oz wheat flour (all-purpose or plain)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 300 g | 10.6 oz light brown sugar (Demerara)
- 150 g | 5.3 oz refined olive oil
- 1 tsp grated orange zest (orange part only)
For the frosting
- 60 g | 2.1 oz powdered sugar
- 120 g | 4.2 oz mascarpone cheese
- 180 g | 6.3 oz whipping cream (30-35%)
- ½ tsp grated orange zest (orange part only)
Directions
Bake the cake
Preheat the oven to 180°C | 350°F. Line a cake pan with parchment paper.
Grate the carrots as finely as your tools will allow. My method is to grate them with a fine grater, then put the grated carrots in a food processor and blend until almost pureed. The more juice you manage to release, the moister your cake will be.
Combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, and ground cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until fluffy.
Add grated carrots, oil, and orange zest. Continue beating on a slower speed until combined.
Sift the flour and spice mixture into the batter. Finish mixing by hand or with the mixer on low speed. Mix just until combined.
Pour the batter into a previously prepared cake pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the baking pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the frosting
Combine cold mascarpone cheese and powdered sugar.
Add cold whipping cream and orange zest. Beat with a hand or stand mixer on low speed until the mixture begins to thicken and holds soft peaks. Be careful not to over-whip.
Frost and decorate the cake
Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cake.
Decorate as desired. I used fresh carrot slices and parsley leaves.
Extra tips for success
- Very finely grated or even pureed carrots are the reason this cake is so moist, evenly textured, and brightly colored. Coarsely grated carrots would also work, but the texture would be different.
- You can use other types of oil if you prefer. I prefer refined olive oil because it tastes much better than refined canola/rapeseed oil.
- If you can't imagine carrot cake without nuts and raisins, feel free to add them.
- Beating the eggs helps to make the cake lighter and fluffier, but don't panic if it doesn't rise very high. It's very moist and heavy.
- Both the mascarpone and the cream must be cold, straight from the refrigerator, for the frosting to whip properly.
- Frost the cake after it has cooled completely, or the frosting will melt and slide off.
- If you choose to decorate with fresh leaves, as I did, decorate the same day you plan to serve the cake, as they can wilt quickly.
- If you are not a fan of frosting, you can skip it altogether. This cake is really delicious on its own.
- This cake rises evenly, so you can use the recipe for layered carrot cake. Just double the frosting if you choose to do so.
How to store this cake
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you do not frost the cake, it can be stored at room temperature for a few days.
