Roasty Toasty Carrot Cake

An easy, single layer snack cake loaded with caramelized, roasted carrots, bright citrus, and toasted walnuts and topped with a classic cream cheese frosting.

Guys, I’ve been sitting on this recipe for a long time waiting for the perfect time to share it. I started working on this recipe back around Easter, when our recipe lists and tables were filled with carrot cake. For starters, I wanted simple—single layer, no torte-ing, easy to mix together. But I also wanted a little bit interesting when it came to flavors. I started playing around with the idea of roasting carrots before adding them for an extra layer of depth, adding lots of toasted walnuts, and balancing all of that warmth out with bright citrus flesh, zest, and juice. After a few trials, we had a winner.

a very easy carrot cake recipe

This recipe features our usual carrot cake cast of characters:

• Flours: I used a blend of spelt and all purpose for a bit of extra nuttiness, but you can definitely do 100% all purpose if you don’t have any spelt flour.

• Spices and Leaveners: There are lots of warming spices in this recipe—cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. And then baking soda to balance the acidity in the carrots and baking powder for rise. And salt. Always salt.

• Sugar: For sweetness, of course.

• Oil: This is an oil-based cake for maximum moisture. I like the grassiness of olive oil, but you could also use any neutral oil of your choice—avocado, vegetable, or grapeseed.

• Eggs: In this recipe, eggs provide fat, emulsification, moisture, and structure.

• Carrots: In this recipe, I’m using carrots two ways: some roasted and pureed for depth of flavor and lots of moisture. Plus a few shredded carrots because you can’t have carrot cake without visible carrot pieces.

• Walnuts: Extra toasty.

• Citrus: I used both orange and lemon zest, plus chopped up the flesh of the orange for a little extra pizzazz.

Yield 8, one 9" cake

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

1 Hour

Total time

1 H & 30 M

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Roasty Toasty Carrot Cake

( 0 reviews )

This simple, spiced snack cake is filled with sweet, roasted carrots and toasted walnuts and topped with a bright, tangy cream cheese frosting.

IngredientsUSMetric

for the roasted carrots

• 3 large carrots
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• pinch of salt

for the cake

• 1/2 cup (65 g) spelt flour
• 1 cup (125 g) all purpose
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 1/3 cup (260 g) granulated sugar
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup (165 g) olive oil
• carrot puree, from roasted carrots (above)
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 cup (100 g) toasted walnuts
• the flesh of one orange, chopped

for the frosting

• 2 oz (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 4 oz creme fraiche
• 1/2 tsp vanilla powder, or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g powdered sugar
• pinch of salt

Instructions

to make the roasted carrot puree

1. Preheat the oven 425° F.
2. Cut carrots into sticks and place in a small baking dish. Add the olive oil, sugar, and salt and stir to coat. Roast for 30 minutes, until carrots are softened and caramelized. Let cool.
3. Transfer the cooled, roasted carrots to a food processor and pulse until pureed. Set aside.

to make the cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a 9” cake pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together spelt flour, all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, and eggs. Whip on medium high speed for 3-4 minutes until light in color and thick.
4. Decrease the mixer speed to low and gradually stream in the olive oil, whipping until homogenized. Add the carrot puree and mix once more until completely combined.
5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the dry ingredients. Stir with a rubber spatula until all of the flour has been incorporated and no dry spots remain.
6. Chop the toasted walnuts and add them to the batter along with the shredded carrots. Peel the orange and chop the flesh. Add the orange flesh to the batter. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until everything is distributed throughout the batter.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until the cake is deeply browned, the top is set, and the sides begin to pull away from the pan.
8. Cool completely in the pan, and then flip out onto a cooling rack.

to make the frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat for about 30 seconds, until smooth.
2. Add the crème fraîche, sift in the powdered sugar, and add the vanilla and salt. Whip again until frosting is thick and smooth.
3. Spread the frosting in a thick layer over the top of the cooled cake.

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

A thick and creamy New York style cheesecake with a buttery chocolate cookie crust and studded with miniature chocolate chips.

I lived in Durham, NC until I was 8 and let me tell you, I think the highlight of my first 8 years of life might have been Elmo’s Diner. Elmo’s is a quirky little diner off of 9th Street, just down the road from the Duke University Campus. It was quaint and cozy and we went for just about every occasion. Brunch with my aunts and uncles? We were at Elmo’s. Dinner with my grandparents, obviously Elmo’s. I even had a birthday party there I loved it so much. And rightfully so, because according to my memory, everything at Elmo’s was perfect and delicious. (Also, you could color pictures of ducks and they’d hang them on the wall, which made me feel a bit like a celebrity.)

Elmo’s had a lot going for it. They had little cups of the best tomato basil soup my 8 year old self had ever had. They had really great cheeseburgers, omelettes, pancakes—you know, all the best diner food. But the chocolate chip cheesecake was the star. My cousin Joey and I were a little bit obsessed with Elmo’s chocolate chip cheesecake. We shared a slice every time we went and even now, 20 years later, we still catch ourselves dreaming of the Elmo’s chocolate chip cheesecake.

Looking back, I don’t know that it was anything fancy. I remember it was tall and thick, definitely a NY style cheesecake, with a graham cracker crust and miniature chocolate chips suspended inside. There were no fancy garnishes or sauces, and it was definitely a diner-style cheesecake. But as a kid, it was perfect. Even now, I can close my eyes and picture myself back in that diner, all of my family shoved around a big table. The adults are drinking coffee and chatting and Joey and I are down at the end of the table, mixing all the remaining dips and sauces and seasonings in the bottom of a sticky plastic cup (you know, like 8 year olds in the 90s did), waiting for our perfect slice of chocolate chip cheesecake. It’s cool how food imprints itself in your memories that way.

a really great chocolate chip cheesecake

Let’s talk cheesecake. There is a whole world of cheesecakes out there—ricotta, basque, Japanese, the kind you get at cheesecake factory…the list goes on. Because cheesecake can be pretty heavy, my go-to recipe is usually a creamy, cheesecake base lightened up by incorporating whipped egg whites. Not so, for this recipe. From my memory, the Elmo’s cheesecake was tall and dense, so that’s what we’re doing here. This is not a cheesecake for the faint of heart.

Traditionally, New York style cheesecakes are thick and hefty, incorporating lots of cream cheese and then usually sour cream and/or heavy cream to help smooth things out a bit. For this recipe, we’re using a full 2 pounds of cream cheese plus sour cream AND heavy cream for an extra smooth, tangy bite.

If you notice, the recipe incorporates a bit of flour to help bind everything together and stiffen the cheesecake slightly. Because we’re using the flour for it’s starch and not it’s gluten, you should be able to easily substitute a gluten-free flour blend in it’s place. (I have not tested this, but the science says it should work fine). You can also use cornstarch or just leave the flour out for a still very delicious, yet slightly less hefty slice of cheesecake.

For the crust, all of my fancy ideas went straight out the window. This is a classic. I went with Annie’s chocolate Teddy Grahams, which were an excellent choice, but you can choose any cookie your heart desires. A traditional graham cracker crust would be great, as would Oreos. Get wild with it.

Yield 8-10, one 9" cake

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

1 H & 15 M

Inactive time

6 Hour

Total time

7 H & 35 M

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

( 0 reviews )

A thick and creamy New York style cheesecake with a buttery chocolate cookie crust and studded with miniature chocolate chips.

IngredientsUSMetric

for the crust

• 7.5 ounces Chocolate Teddy Grahams, or other cookie
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup melted butter

for the cheesecake

• 2 lbs cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (56 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (56 g) heavy cream, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour, divided
• 8 oz miniature chocolate chips

Instructions Fahrenheit Celsius

to make the crust

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F and line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.
2. Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse for about 30 seconds, until finely ground. Transfer them to a bowl.
3. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter, and stir until everything is moistened.
4. Pour the cookie crumb mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands to firmly press it into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until browned and set. Let cool completely while you make the filling.

to make the cheesecake

1. Lower the oven temperature to 300° F.
2. Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for about a minute, until smooth and fluffy.
3. Add the granulated sugar and mix again until evenly dispersed.
4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla and salt and beat on medium speed until very smooth.
5. With the mixer on low speed, at the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
6. Place 1 tbsp of the flour in a medium bowl with all but 2 tbsp of the chocolate chips. Toss to coat.
7. Add the remainder of the flour to the cheesecake filling and beat one last time, until well-combined and very smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold a few times with a rubber spatula to ensure even distribution.
8. Add the flour-coated chocolate chips to the batter and fold to mix in. Pour the batter into the cooled crust and sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp of chocolate chips over the top.
9. Bake, without opening the door to the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the cheesecake is set and there is only a slight wobble on the top. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool on the counter for another 30 minutes.
10. Wrap the cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill for at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
11. When you’re ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and slice using a sharp knife.

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Banana Coconut Coffee Cake

A soft, sweet banana cake with a thick layer of tropical, toasted coconut streusel makes the perfect pair for your morning cup of coffee.

I’m back from Sicily and we’re jumping right back into our regularly scheduled baking content. I don’t know about you, but when I come home from a long trip, no matter how wonderful the food was, I crave comfort. I want to take a shower in my own bathroom, wear pajamas, eat a big bowl of pasta, and bake something cozy. I’m looking for low-effort comfort, and it often arrives in the form of cake. Simple cake to be exact.

I always have between 5-7 bananas shoved in my freezer and I’m reminded of their existence every time I open the freezer door and one or two fly out, barely missing my toes. While it’s nice to always ripe bananas on hand for when the baking urge strikes, it’s very difficult to think of anything to do with them besides make banana bread. For the last few months, my freezer banana count has been steadily increasing as I worked on recipes that would meet the banana baked good quota: simple, sweet, cozy. In walks this cake. It’s everything that you’re looking for in a banana cake: super moist, dense, and just sweet enough that it can double as both dessert and breakfast.

banana coconut coffee cake

This recipe is a riff of one of my very favorite recipes, my sweet potato and rye coffee cake. We subbed the sweet potatoes with bananas, of course. Got rid of the rye flour, and replaced the buttermilk with full-fat canned coconut milk. The streusel topping got a little facelift with the addition of toasted coconut.

It’s a simple creaming method cake and can be mixed up in just a few minutes. A quick tip: room temperature is really best for the ingredients in this case. Because of the high liquid content and the temperature characteristics of melted butter and coconut milk, this batter has a tendency to curdle easily. If that happens, just add in a bit of the dry ingredients to help bind everything together and it should smooth right out. Happy baking!

Yield one 9x13" cake

Author Anna Ramiz

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

45 Min

Total time

1 H & 15 M

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Banana Coconut Coffee Cake

( 0 reviews )

A soft, sweet banana cake perfect for your morning cup of coffee topped with a thick layer of tropical coconut streusel.

IngredientsUSMetric

for the crumble

• 1/2 cup (65 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (75 g) rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened

for the cake

• 2 1/4 cup (290 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 150 g mashed banana, from about 2 large bananas
• 3/4 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup brewed espresso, cooled

for the glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup (55 g) full fat coconut milk
• 1/8 tsp vanilla powder, or sub a splash of vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

to make the crumble

1. Whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and coconut flakes in a medium sized bowl until combined.
2. Add the butter and work together using your fingers until butter is completely mixed in and no dry spots remain. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the cake.

to make the cake

1. Line a 9x13” baking dish with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, making sure to scrape down the sides and ensure all of the butter chunks have been mixed in.
4. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the mashed banana and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low speed for 1-2 minutes more, until everything is well-combined.
5. Combine coconut milk and espresso in a measuring cup.
6. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the coconut milk/espresso mixture. When the liquid has been mixed in, add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by the remaining 1/2 of liquid, and then the remaining 1/3 of dry ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then mix for one more minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatular to gently fold the batter a few more times, ensuring that it is smooth and homogenous and everything is well-combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and use an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer. Remove crumbs from the refrigerator and sprinkle it in a thick even layer over the top of the cake.
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the the center of the cake. Let cool completely in the pan while you make the glaze.

to make the glaze

1. Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth, adding more powdered sugar or coconut milk to thicken or loosen the glaze until you reach your desired consistency.
2. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake before serving.

Similar Recipes

Sweet Potato and Rye Coffee Cake

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Banana Tahini Breakfast Cake

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