How does White Chocolate Studded Carrot Cake sound to you? Easy to make and totally delicious, this is the perfect dessert for Easter Sunday or any time of the year! This recipe originally came from Sachi of Get off the Couch and Cook food blog. Thanks Sachi for a great recipe!
Luscious cream cheese frosting is the perfect topper for this moist cake
Sashi creates recipes that can be made in about the time it would take to order pizza – 45 minutes or less. She uses real ingredients, no substitutes for fat, sugar, etc. preferring to eat less of higher quality foods.
Jelly beans make any cake festive.
With Easter coming up I wanted to find a really fun treat, a dessert to make your whole family drool at the sight! Today’s White Chocolate Studded Carrot Cake totally fits the bill and I love the humor in serving a carrot cake for your Easter Bunny supper LOL.
I made ours in a 9×13-inch pan (so much easier to transport to your family dinner) but for a more dramatic presentation you can make this in two round cake pans. Traditionally carrot cake is served with frosting between the layers and on the top, but leaves the sides uncovered. Set on a pedestal, this beauty is a joy to behold. You could also use a bundt pan for an easy sculpted dessert.
Kids will never know carrots are in there!
I love that this recipe uses vegetable oil and applesauce to replace the traditional butter in the recipe. This makes for a very moist and tender cake and is a great trick if you are trying to reduce your saturated fat intake. The shredded carrots also add moisture, so get ready for one awesome cake!
And speaking of carrots, this is the time to break out the food processor and shredding disc. Trim the carrots and peel, then cut them in half crosswise. This gives you pieces you can stand up in the tube of your processor, making it even faster. Use the pusher while you hold down pulse button and the carrots will be shredded in seconds!
I made changes to convert the recipe to gluten-free so I can enjoy it along with everyone else and added white chocolate – who doesn’t love discovering bites of luscious white chocolate in every bite! Subbing brown sugar for part of the granulated sugar adds beautiful caramel overtones, and using mascarpone for a portion of the cream cheese in the frosting lightens it and makes it The Artist’s favorite frosting.
Another thing The Artist is passionate about is cardamom, so finding ways to include it in my sweet and savory recipes always tickles him. This may seem like a ton of changes, but fundamentally the recipe is the same. See how easy it is to take a great recipe and make it your own!
Stuffed bunnies and candy always make a festive table!
I hope you enjoy this White Chocolate Studded Carrot Cake and consider making it for your Easter celebration. Happy Chocolate Monday!
Carrot cake is a delightful dessert any time of the year
Key Ingredients for White Chocolate Studded Carrot Cake:
- Gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour, xanthan gum (if GF)
- Baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom or nutmeg
- Granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vegetable oil
- Unsweetened applesauce, white chocolate chips, carrots
- Mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla
PRO Tip:
Because of the moisture and amount of sugar in the batter, this cake stuck pretty badly to my pan even with butter and a nonstick surface! Next time I will use an insulated pan or set this one on a baking sheet, in effect double panning it, protecting the bottom from getting too hot. Lining the pan with parchment might help as well.
PRO Tip:
Practice baking is always a good idea if you are making something for the first time to serve at a party or holiday meal. Work out the kinks first and then you can relax on the big day! This cake can be made a day ahead, but wait to frost it until the day you are serving it. It will save you time and hassle on party day.
How to make White Chocolate Studded Carrot Cake:
- Whisk the dry ingredients together
- Mix the sugars, eggs, oil, and applesauce; slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined
- Stir in the white chocolate and carrots
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes; cool completely
- Beat the mascarpone and cream cheese until smooth; slowly add the powdered sugar then the vanilla, beating until light and fluffy
- Frost the cooled cake, cut and serve
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Gluten-Free Tips:
Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend like my favorite. And optionally, if it is safe for your friends and family, using almond or hazelnut meal for a portion of the total flour amount (usually 1/2 to 1 cup) will give you more flavor and texture that is a little reminiscent of wheat flour. It is a secret weapon in gluten-free baking!
White Chocolate Studded Carrot Cake (Gluten-Free)
With oil and applesauce replacing the normal butter, this cake is moist and tender with just the right amount of spices to make every bite sing. And using a combination of mascarpone and cream cheese makes an utterly addicting frosting. This dessert is perfect for spring celebrations or any time of the year.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1-1/2 cups (180 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 1/2 cup (56 g) almond or hazelnut meal (or more GF flour)
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum, only if using gluten-free flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom or nutmeg
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated cane sugar
- 1 cup (213 g) firmly packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs (200 g)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) neutral-flavored vegetable oil
- 1 cup (255 g) unsweetened applesauce
- 2 cups (340 g) white chocolate chips
- 1 lb (8 to 10 medium) carrots, peeled and grated, about 3 cups (297 g)
Frosting
- 4 oz (114 g) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 4 oz (114 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups (227 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan (use gluten-free flour if needed).
- Make the Cake: In a bowl, combine the flour blend, almond meal (or more flour), xanthan gum (if using GF flour), baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Whisk until completely blended.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, place the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil and applesauce. Using the paddle attachment, cream the ingredients together until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients, beat them in until just combined, with no streaks. Add the white chocolate and carrots, and beat in. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl and stir the ingredients together, being sure there are no dry ingredients hidden in pockets under the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Using your stand mixer or a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone and cream cheese together until smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar, beating after each addition. Add the vanilla; slowly increase the speed to medium, and beat the frosting until smooth, light and fluffy.
- To Serve: When the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting over the top. Cut into squares and serve.
- Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Original recipe from Get Off the Couch and Cook
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 309Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 553mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 10g
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sarah k @ the pajama chef
what a beautiful cake, jane! mmm 🙂
Heather @ Join Us, Pull up a Chair
Looks delicious Jane! I had your blog this month and enjoyed exploring all your recipes!
Jane Bonacci
Ah Heather, I’m so glad you had fun! I’m popping over to your blog right now to see which one you chose 🙂
Stephanie
This carrot cake looks excellent. I’ve never paired white chocolate with carrot cake before, but it makes complete sense. Wonderful SRC post!
Jane Bonacci
I’m glad I thought of it too Stephanie, it’s now my favorite change-up. Thank you so much for your kinds words! 🙂
Sashi
Yay! I’m glad you liked it and were able to make it work as a gluten-free dessert. 🙂
Jane Bonacci
It was a great recipe Sashi, delicious, easy and we all loved it! Thanks!!
Amy (Savory Moments)
I love carrot cake and adding some white chocolate sounds like a delicious way to make it a little extra-special!
Jane Bonacci
I totally agree Amy, and boy was it good – at least every single piece I’ve had so far, LOL 😉
Adina
Wow, that topping looks delicious!
Jane Bonacci
Thank you Adina – the mascarpone makes it just a touch more decadent, just the way The Artist and I like it, ROFL!