If there’s one thing I love, it’s a dessert that basically bakes its own sauce. This carrot cake covered in caramel is exactly that: a cozy, spoonable dessert where a tender carrot cake bakes in a pool of caramel until the top turns soft and fluffy and the bottom transforms into a thick sauce. It’s warm, spiced, and the kind of dessert that’s best eaten straight from the dish.
The idea comes from a classic Québécois dessert called Pouding Chômeur, or Québécois Maple Pudding, which uses a similar bake-and-pour method. My version just leans a little more spiced and a little less sweet, with a carrot cake base and a caramel that bubbles and thickens as everything comes together. The end result is a dessert that feels fancy but is surprisingly low effort.
It’s the kind of dessert that works year-round, but it feels especially perfect for spring – think Easter, Mother’s Day, or any time where you want something cozy and very easy to share. Here’s everything you’ll need, plus a few tips to make sure it turns out perfectly.
Table of contents
- What is Quebecois maple pudding and how is this different?
- Ingredients you’ll need for this carrot cake
- Ingredient substitutions
- Could I make this cake with something besides carrot?
- How to make the caramel
- How to assemble this carrot cake pudding
- Why is this recipe in grams?
- Storage tips and how to prep ahead of time
- Watch the recipe here
- Looking for similar recipes?
What is Quebecois maple pudding and how is this different?
Québécois Maple Pudding, or Pouding Chômeur, is a Canadian dessert that has a light white cake soaking in a delicious mix of maple syrup and heavy cream. Before baking, the syrup is poured over the cake batter and then as it bakes, the cake rises to the top while the syrup sinks underneath and thickens into a delicious maple cream.
This recipe is definitely modeled after the Québécois classic, but there are a few key differences. Instead of a sweet white cake, we use a not-too-sweet carrot cake base that’s made with a reverse creaming method for extra tender crumb. The sugar has been reduced to just 1/4 cup, and the maple syrup & heavy cream soak is swapped out for a rich caramel (with a little maple folded in) that thickens and sweetens the whole dessert to perfection.
Ingredients you’ll need for this carrot cake
For the caramel:
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter
- 1/2 cup (125g) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (70g) maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the carrot cake:
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup (55g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 3/4 cup (180g) grated carrots
- 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
Ingredient substitutions
This recipe is really customizable! Here are some substitution suggestions:
- All-purpose flour: Can be swapped for King Arthur’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour if needed.
- Heavy cream: Can be swapped for evaporated milk, full-fat coconut milk, a combination of 6 tablespoons regular milk + 2 tablespoons melted butter, or half & half, but it may produce a thinner caramel.
- Whole milk: Can be swapped for 2% milk or plant-based milks like oat, almond, or soy just make sure they’re unsweetened and unflavored.
Could I make this cake with something besides carrot?
You know I love a good substitute! While you can’t swap in anything, there are a few things I think would be fine substitutes:
- Freshly grated apple
- Freshly grated underripe pears
- Mashed banana
- Freshly grated sweet potato
Make sure to use the weight value in the recipe, and these swaps should be golden!
How to make the caramel
- Add all the ingredients to a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
- Boil the syrup for 3 minutes, keeping an eye on it and stirring occasionally so it doesn’t boil over.
- After three minutes, turn off the heat and set the caramel aside while you prep the rest of the cake.
How to assemble this carrot cake pudding
This recipe is unique in how it’s assembled for two reasons: first, the cake batter is dolloped into the baking dish almost like it’s biscuit dough and then, how the caramel is added. Here’s how to assemble it:
Once the cake batter is ready, dollop six big portions of the dough in an ungreased 9 by 9-inch baking dish, spreading them out so they are nearly touching but not quite.
Then pour the caramel on top, getting in the crevices, and a little on top of each cake. The cake will look like it’s swimming in caramel, and how lucky are we for that? Don’t worry, it’s not an issue and is exactly how we want it to look.
Why is this recipe in grams?
Grams is always my preference for baking, and I hope it will be yours, too. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, not volume. One cup of flour can weigh all the way from 120 grams to 160 grams, depending on how it was packed. This ends up causing some volatility and miss-matched results.
I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe fool-proof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this particular recipe.
Storage tips and how to prep ahead of time
You can definitely prepare this dessert ahead of time! Make the cake batter and the caramel then store them separately in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to bake, bring the ingredients back to room temperature, assemble and bake as instructed.
Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The caramel will thicken and the cake will firm up as it cools, so when you’re ready to serve just reheat either in the microwave or in the oven until warmed through.
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Looking for similar recipes?
Carrot Cake Crepe Cake
Carrot Muffins for Two
Salted Date & Brown Butter Carrot Bread
And that’s it for this carrot cake covered in caramel!
If you make them, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions
And of course feel free to leave any questions, comments or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Ingredients
For the caramel:
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter
- 1/2 cup (125g) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (70g) maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the carrot cake:
- 2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup (55g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 3/4 cup (180g) grated carrots
- 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
Instructions
- Begin with the caramel. Add 200 grams brown sugar, 113 grams salted butter, 125 grams heavy cream, 70 grams maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to a medium pot. Set over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil.
- Boil the syrup for 3 minutes, keeping an eye on it and stirring occasionally so it doesn’t boil over. After three minutes, turn off the heat and set the caramel aside while you prep the rest of the cake. It should be relatively thin.
- Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 280 grams all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 55 grams granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon and ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom.
- Grate in 180 grams of carrots on the smaller side of a box grater.
- Cube the 113 grams of softened butter and add it in. Using a hand mixer, mix for a few minutes, until you start to get a crumbly texture. Mix a bit more until the mixture is starting to clump, then gradually pour in the milk until you make a smooth batter.
- Use a 9 by 9-inch ceramic dish. Don’t grease it (the caramel will do plenty), but dollop six big portions of the dough in the dish, spreading them out so they are nearly touching but not quite. Leave some crevices for the caramel to sink into.
- Pour the caramel on top, getting in the crevices, and a little on top of each cake. The cake will look like it’s swimming in caramel, and how lucky are we for that? (Don’t worry, it’s not an issue).
- Bake at 375°F convection for 25-30 minutes, or until you can touch the cakes and they spring back from the touch.
- When it’s out of the oven, scoop and serve as soon as it stops bubbling. This is best served warm and with ice cream 🙂
Comments
Excellent. I added walnuts, raisins, Craisins, and pineapple to mimic my fave carrot cake.
OMG thank you so much for making it so quickly. I’m so glad you loved it and that those additions worked well! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.
Can this be made with an 8×8 baking dish?
I’d rather you try a 9×13 to avoid any bubbling over, just to be safe!
I tried an 8×8 and it boiled over. Next time I will try a larger dish. Thankful I put a baking sheet under my dish!
*One of the most delicious desserts I’ve ever made!!!!* I can’t wait to maki it again!
Ahh, sorry that happened! I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review <3
Could I double this in a 9×13? and keep cooking time and temp the same?
I’d suggest increasing it by 1.5 times, if it’s not too much of a hassle! You can do that using the +/- signs near the serving size 🙂
I halved the recipe and used a 7×7 dish to bake this heavenly concoction, 10/10 would make again in a heartbeat. In my excitement to make this I forgot to add sugar to the cake and while less moist i quite liked that the caramel sauce was my only source of sweet. Again, I didn’t purposely omit the sugar in the cake and I think I only got away with this because i halved the recipe.
Will definitely be making a full version when my dad visits. He loves carrot cake 🍰. Thank you Justine for another amazing recipe
I’m so so glad you loved it and to know that halving the recipe worked well. I hope your dad loves it, too! Thanks so much taking the time to leave a review <3
Followed the recipe to a T for 10 servings and used the Poetisk baking dish, and it turned it turned out amazing! Top layer was a crumbly texture and underneath was a gooey cake soaked in caramel. I would make it again and again. In my next attempt though I would want to omit the sugar in the cake mix and let the caramel be the single source of sweetness. But that’s just my preference.
I’m so glad you loved it! If you do try it, let me know how it turns out. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review.
How can I make this ahead? Should I purposely underbake it and warm it up at the location? I want to take this to my MIL for Easter dessert but won’t have time to bake it entirely there. TIA!
Hi! Fully bake it then gently warm it at the location – don’t half bake it please!
Superb. My family and I finished it one sitting. The caramel was so decadent and delicious, perfect pairing with moist, fluffy cake! Thx forever girl!
I’m so glad everyone loved it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review queen <3
My family and I LOVED this recipe! I will make it again and again. The caramel is so yummy and I love how the top of my cake got a little bit crispy and then was moist and gooey in the caramel. My husband couldn’t imagine carrot cake without cream cheese frosting, so I made the whipped cream cheese frosting from Alexandra’s Kitchen to dollop on top.
I’m so glad everyone loved it!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.
Pretty foolproof! I’m not a confident baker but this came out absolutely divineeee. Its looks bely the beauty of its rich caramel with light carrot cake.
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
This is easily one of the best cakes I’ve made in awhile. It’s so easy! I took it over to a friend’s house and one of them “accidentally” ate over half of it (but I can’t blame them) so I guess I have to make it again today. Cant recommend this cake enough, its life changing its so good.
I’m so glad everyone loved it!! I very much relate to your friend, as I also ‘accidentally’ ate more than half of it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review <3
This is heavenly. Family raved! I accidentally baked it in an 8×8 instead of 9×9 – I had to increase the cooking time by about 15 minutes. Delish!
I’m so glad everyone loved it!! Great to know about the increased bake time. Thanks so much for your feedback and review <3
Excellent Excellent Excellent.
I’m so thrilled you loved it!
This was a delicious recipe- making it came together very quickly – the instructions were very simple and easy to follow! My entire family enjoyed it! Looking forward to making it again and trying some of the other variations! Dreaming of an Apple version in the fall when Michigan apples are in their peak season!
I’m so thrilled everyone loved it! And wow, an apple version sounds delicious.
Very delicious! One note though is that in the recipe instructions, it shows 1 1/2 tsp of salt, but the ingredients list shows 1 tsp of salt for the carrot cake portion. I added 1 1/2 tsp of salt because I was only looking at instructions portion as I was making it, so the cake was a little saltier than I would have liked, but the caramel and added ice cream did help balance it out a bit.
Thank you so much for letting me know, I’ve updated the instructions to match, as it should just be 1 teaspoon. I’m so so glad you still enjoyed it!
Shockingly one of the easiest recipes I’ve made in a while and with incredible payoff! I subbed the cardamon for 1/4 tsp nutmeg just due to personal preference, and baked in 8×8 which was fine but definitely place your baking dish on a tray because I did have SOME caramel bubble over. Everyone loved it, thank you Justine!!!
I’m so glad everyone loved it! Thank you so much for your feedback and taking the time to leave a review <3
This was bomb! Whole thing was eaten for Easter. I doubled the spices and added vanilla. Also sprinkled chopped walnuts before putting the cake layer on. We’re at a higher altitude and cooked for about 35 mins. So so yummy with vanilla iced cream. Thanks Justine will be making again. What a fast and easy recipe.
I want to try the caramel with molasses next time. Yum.
I’m so thrilled everyone enjoyed it! I love that you added the walnuts and great to know it works well at a higher altitude. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review <3
This dessert is next level. So comforting. So delicious. Exactly what you want it to be. Dense and cakey but also moist and decadent. Rustic yet elevated. My family is obsessed with me now.
So SO happy to hear you (and they) liked it!!
When I tell you this one landed at the perfect time…
I needed a spring dessert, and here comes Justine with a stunner! Very easy, and I had just about everything on hand (I did realize I was out of ginger powder, but I used a packed teaspoon of finely minced crystallized ginger and it tasted just fine!) Oh, and I think my dish was a tad small. But you know, baking is more forgiving than you think and it worked! It was so good, my family raved about it! Dad said, better than anything you’d get in a restaurant. Definitely make this one.
And Justine, THANK YOU for giving us the weights/measurements in the text and not only in the list. Just a little difference that makes following your recipes so much easier!!
Ahh this is music to my ears! So glad everyone loved it and so glad you find the ingredients in the instructions helpful. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Thank you for this excellent concept and recipe. You totally nailed it. I made it for two separate gatherings this weekend to universal acclaim. My dad asked me for the recipe so he could make it for himself! That was a first – and now probably a yearly classic!
Omg this is music to my ears! So glad everyone loved it. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
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