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–+ servings
Caramel covered carrot cake served with ice cream.

Carrot Cake Covered in Caramel

4.93 | 13 reviews
If you've ever wondered what happens to a carrot cake when you bake it in caramel - this is your answer. I can't pinpoint what magic happens, but the cake rises to the top as the caramel sinks to the bottom, giving you a moist cake with a sticky, syrupy base. The cake batter is designed to be less sweet than average, just to make sure everything balances out.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 12

Equipment

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 

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
  4. 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.
  5. Grate in 180 grams of carrots on the smaller side of a box grater.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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).
  9. Bake at 375°F convection for 25-30 minutes, or until you can touch the cakes and they spring back from the touch.
  10. 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 :)
Serving: 6 ouncesCalories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 3gFat: 19g