Spiced carrot cake layers infused with maple syrup and topped with maple caramel & cream cheese frosting.
We’re a lot of the manner by means of August now, which suggests we’re that a lot nearer to Fall (my fave season), and I actually couldn’t be happier.
We’re nonetheless in summer season mode, so I’m not going to bust out the pumpkin recipes simply but. However I assumed it will be a good time to do a seasonal transition cake of kinds, utilizing these recent carrots out of your backyard or native farmers market and pairing them with the comforting Fall flavors of maple to make this scrumptious Maple Caramel Carrot Cake.
I had so many challenges with this cake that at one level I thought-about the chance that the universe didn’t need me to make this recipe.
There are too many carrot cake recipes on the market already (it mentioned), why does the world want one other one?! Nonetheless, I’m glad I persevered, as a result of this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake is really like no different.
Cake Tip!
Don’t attempt to use rainbow carrots considering you’ll have a fairly, colourful rainbow cake. You received’t.
How you can Make this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
Little recognized reality (no less than to me): purple carrots flip darkish inexperienced when baked in a cake. True story.
My authentic imaginative and prescient for this cake concerned the gorgeous rainbow carrots that you may see throughout farmers market stalls this time of 12 months. I LOVE them. I assumed they’d be so fairly in a cake — the contrasts of the orange, yellow, and purple… SO fairly proper? Proper. A lot to my dismay when the cake layers got here out of the oven, I knew my good rainbow imaginative and prescient was not going to occur.
My analysis into why this occurs led me a bit astray. Every thing I discovered talked about common orange carrots turning inexperienced, and the wrongdoer was baking soda. The orange carrots in my cake had been wonderful although — it was the purple ones that had been the difficulty. I believe it was most likely nonetheless the acid within the baking soda, although.
At any price, cake #1 was scrapped as a consequence of darkish inexperienced worm-like specks by means of the layers (not fairly). It really would have been scrapped anyway although, as a result of the layers didn’t bake up as tall or fairly as I needed, so I wanted to tweak the recipe. Simply as properly, however I used to be unhappy to surrender my dream of the rainbow carrots!
Maple Caramel
The subsequent challenge was with the maple caramel. I don’t know why, however I at all times have points with caramel. It’s simple sufficient to make (or needs to be), nevertheless it at all times provides me issues.
Caramel and I should not BFF’s and certain by no means will likely be. It’s simply a type of issues. My first try appeared prefer it was going okay, however one thing was off and I ended up with a thick, crystallized mess. Try # 2 was a lot better.
How you can Make Caramel
I now have an in depth tutorial on How you can Make Caramel with all kinds of ideas and troubleshooting.
Assembling the cake was no picnic both.
One way or the other I used to be low on powdered sugar. How this might occur nonetheless boggles my thoughts. I’m normally so diligent about noting substances I’m operating brief on in order that I’m by no means on this state of affairs. I searched and searched for one more bag of powdered sugar, however no luck.
So my frosting was 1/2 cup brief on powdered sugar (recipe adjusted for proper quantities), which meant that the frosting was softer than I needed it to be. Usually it wouldn’t be an enormous drawback, however assembling a cake with smooth frosting and smooth caramel in 30+°C (85+°F) temps with no A/C posed a little bit of a problem, to say the least.
Ultimately, all of it labored out and OMG is that this cake good. Perhaps my favourite cake ever. EVER!
Carrot cake is scrumptious as it’s, however one thing concerning the mixture of the maple and the caramel with the cream cheese frosting is simply pure heaven. It’s so good that Ryan received’t even let me give any slices away, in order that they’re squirreled away in our freezer.
Should you’re in search of one thing just a little completely different, a twist on one thing conventional, then that is the cake for you! The cake layers are extremely moist and the maple caramel has a scrumptious and distinctive taste. It truly is my new favourite cake recipe. I hope you prefer it as a lot as I do. Oh and in the event you’re into all issues maple, make sure you give my Maple Cake a attempt too!
Often Requested Questions
How can I convert this recipe?
- The recipe as-is may also work in three 6″ pans. For 3 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. Baking time might should be adjusted.
- To make cupcakes, all it’s essential do is scale back the baking time — begin checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes relying on measurement.
- For different conversions go right here.
Can I make it upfront?
- The cooled cake layers might be baked forward of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for as much as 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours earlier than meeting.
- The frosting might be positioned in an hermetic container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Deliver to room temp and rewhip earlier than utilizing.
- The caramel might be made the day earlier than and left at room temperature in a single day or refrigerated for a pair weeks (or frozen for longer). You’ll must convey it to room temperature once more earlier than use.
- The completed cake (complete or sliced, saved hermetic) might be frozen for as much as 3 months.
Can I get the measurements by weight/grams?
- There’s a Metric choice within the recipe card. Should you click on it it’ll convert all the pieces to grams.
- This conversion is completed mechanically and I can not assure the accuracy however many readers have had success utilizing the metric choice for this recipe.
Suggestions for this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
- Apr 14, 2022 – Cream Cheese Frosting recipe revised to make a extra steady frosting.
- You need to use store-bought caramel in the event you’d wish to simplify the recipe, nevertheless it received’t have a maple taste.
- Should you refrigerate your caramel, you have to to heat it up a bit earlier than utilizing on the cake. I microwave it in 5 second intervals, stirring in between, till it’s pourable (however not heat).
- It’s greatest to create a little bit of a lip with the frosting in order that the caramel doesn’t pour out and over the edges.
- I like to organize my cake pans utilizing Home made Cake Launch then line with parchment.
- Learn to preserve your desserts moist utilizing Easy Syrup.
- To assist guarantee your cake layers bake up good and flat, see my Flat High Desserts publish.
Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
Spiced carrot cake layers infused with maple syrup and topped with maple caramel & cream cheese frosting.
Servings 12
Energy 619kcal
Elements
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup cream cheese full fats, chilled, cubed
- cornstarch or meringue powder elective
Directions
Carrot Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8″ cake rounds, line with parchment.
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In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Put aside.
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer mix vegetable oil and sugars. Beat till properly mixed (2 minutes). Add eggs one after the other, totally incorporating after every addition. Add vanilla.
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Add flour combination in 3 components. Add in carrots.
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Unfold batter evenly into ready pans and bake for 55mins or till a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out principally clear.
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Place desserts on wire rack to chill for 10mins then end up onto wire rack to chill utterly.
Maple Caramel:
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Place maple syrup in a medium saucepan and produce to a boil over med-high warmth. Don’t stir at any level.
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Cut back warmth to medium and simmer till maple syrup begins to brown much more (the bubbles will likely be very darkish brown) or the temperature reads 240F on a sweet thermometer.
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Take away from warmth and slowly pour in cream whereas whisking shortly. The combination will bubble up quite a bit.
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Return to warmth, add butter, and proceed to prepare dinner for 2-3mins whereas whisking consistently.
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Cool utterly then switch to an hermetic container and retailer within the fridge.*
Cream Cheese Frosting:
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Utilizing a stand mixer or hand mixer beat butter till pale and creamy. Cut back velocity to low. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and blend on low till properly blended. Improve velocity to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
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Add vanilla and proceed to beat on medium for 1 minute.
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Slowly add chilled cream cheese one dice at a time (about 1 tablespoon at a time). Beat properly till blended and guarantee no lumps of cream cheese stay.
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If wanted, add cornstarch or meringue powder 1 tablespoon at a time to stiffen the frosting (I did not however that is an choice). Run mixer on low for a few minutes to take away any air bubbles.
Meeting:
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Trim cake layers if wanted. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. High with 1 cup of cream cheese frosting and half of the caramel.**
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Repeat with remaining layer and sprinkle chopped pecans on high if desired.
Notes
** It’s greatest to create a little bit of a lip with the frosting in order that the caramel doesn’t pour out the edges.
Maple Caramel recipe tailored from Ricardo Cusine.
Energy: 619kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 5gFats: 23gSaturated Fats: 13gLdl cholesterol: 115mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 363mgFiber: 1gSugar: 76gVitamin A: 6055IUVitamin C: 1.9mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 1.7mg
The dietary info and metric conversions are calculated mechanically. I can not assure the accuracy of this information. If that is vital to you, please confirm along with your favourite vitamin calculator and/or metric conversion software.
