Chef notes
Now don't get me wrong. I love a good carrot cake studded with carrots, nuts and fruits, all covered in a rich and thick cream cheese frosting. But sometimes I don't want to eat a granola bar in my cake and I just want pure carrot flavor. Say hello to this fragrant, carrot-forward bundt cake. This recipe gets an extra kick from spicy ginger, which is balanced beautifully by a light icing or a little powdered sugar. It's the perfect Mother's Day cake when you tire of the same old thing and want to celebrate Mama with a little zing!
Technique tip: Be sure to butter your pan really well so the cake releases easily. 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 1½-2 cups carrot baby food.
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 tablespoons softened unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- Powdered sugar, for serving
Preparation
1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 12-cup bundt pan with softened butter.
2.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.
3.Transfer softened carrots to a food processor and purée until smooth (this should yield 1½-1¾ cups of carrot puree).
4.In a bowl, combine carrot purée, grated ginger and buttermilk. Set aside.
5.Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside.
6.Using an electric mixer, 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.
7.With mixer on low, alternately add flour mixture and carrot mixture, beginning and ending with flour, mixing just until incorporated.
8.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 before turning it out onto your serving dish.
9.Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
