Chef notes

There’s absolutely a time and place to enjoy an over-the-top carrot cake studded with carrots, nuts and fruits, all covered in a rich and thick cream cheese frosting. But more often, we just want to put the granola bar ingredients aside, get back to basics and enjoy the pure carrotty flavor and warm, familiar spices of fall. If you feel the same way, then this carrot-ginger bundt cake is perfect for you.

This fragrant Bundt cake starts by cooking fresh carrots down until they’re soft and blendable, then combining the pureé with buttermilk and grated fresh ginger, which gives this dessert an extra spicy kick.

After combining the carrot mixture with the rest of the ingredients, including flour, butter, oil and sugar, the batter is poured into a buttered pan and baked in less than an hour. The zing of the finished cake is then balanced beautifully with a little powdered sugar. It's the perfect cake to keep around the house for a snack with your coffee or for an easy dessert, but will also wow when served at a special occasion, like Mother's Day!

Technique Tip: Be sure to butter your pan really well so the cake releases easily once baked. If you don't have a Bundt pan, this recipe can also be baked in two 9-inch loaf pans.

Swap Option: If you don't have time to make your own carrot puree, use 1½to 2 cups of carrot baby food.

Ingredients

8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
Powdered sugar, for serving

Fulfilled by

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously grease a 12-cup bundt pan with softened butter.

Place carrots and water in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes. If water evaporates before carrots are tender, add a little more water.

Transfer softened carrots to a food processor and purée until smooth (this should yield 1½ to 1¾ cups of carrot puree).

In a bowl, combine carrot purée, grated ginger and buttermilk. Set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together butter, oil and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and carrot mixture, beginning and ending with flour, mixing just until incorporated.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the cake's center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.