Maple Caramel Carrot Cake – Liv for Cake

Maple Caramel Carrot Cake – Liv for Cake

Spiced carrot cake layers infused with maple syrup and topped with maple caramel & cream cheese frosting.

Cross-section of the maple caramel carrot cake showing gooey caramel dripping down.

We’re many of the approach via August now, which implies we’re that a lot nearer to Fall (my fave season), and I actually couldn’t be happier.

We’re nonetheless in summer time mode, so I’m not going to bust out the pumpkin recipes simply but. However I assumed it will be a good time to do a seasonal transition cake of types, utilizing these contemporary carrots out of your backyard or native farmers market and pairing them with the comforting Fall flavors of maple to make this scrumptious Maple Caramel Carrot Cake.

Cake n a cake stand.

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I had so many challenges with this cake that at one level I thought-about the likelihood that the universe didn’t need me to make this recipe.

There are too many carrot cake recipes on the market already (it mentioned), why does the world want one other one?! However, I’m glad I persevered, as a result of this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake is really like no different.

Close up of the side of the cake

Cake Tip!

Don’t attempt to use rainbow carrots pondering you’ll have a reasonably, colourful rainbow cake. You received’t.

How one can Make this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake

Little recognized reality (at the very least to me): purple carrots flip darkish inexperienced when baked in a cake. True story.

My unique imaginative and prescient for this cake concerned the beautiful rainbow carrots which you can see throughout farmers market stalls this time of 12 months. I LOVE them. I assumed they’d be so fairly in a cake — the contrasts of the orange, yellow, and purple… SO fairly proper? Proper. A lot to my dismay when the cake layers got here out of the oven, I knew my excellent rainbow imaginative and prescient was not going to occur.

Why Do Carrots Flip Inexperienced?

My analysis into why this occurs led me a bit astray. Every thing I discovered talked about common orange carrots turning inexperienced, and the wrongdoer was baking soda. The orange carrots in my cake had been high quality although — it was the purple ones that had been the difficulty. I think it was most likely nonetheless the acid within the baking soda, although.

At any price, cake #1 was scrapped resulting from darkish inexperienced worm-like specks via the layers (not fairly). It truly would have been scrapped anyway although, as a result of the layers didn’t bake up as tall or fairly as I needed, so I wanted to tweak the recipe. Simply as properly, however I used to be unhappy to surrender my dream of the rainbow carrots!

Carrot Cake on a cake stand.

Maple Caramel

The subsequent subject was with the maple caramel. I don’t know why, however I all the time have points with caramel. It’s straightforward sufficient to make (or needs to be), but it surely all the time provides me issues.

Caramel and I are usually not BFF’s and certain by no means can be. It’s simply a kind of issues. My first try appeared prefer it was going okay, however one thing was off and I ended up with a thick, crystallized mess. Try # 2 was a lot better.

How one can Make Caramel

I now have an in depth tutorial on How one can Make Caramel with all types of ideas and troubleshooting.

Assembling the cake was no picnic both.

Someway I used to be low on powdered sugar. How this might occur nonetheless boggles my thoughts. I’m normally so diligent about noting components I’m operating brief on in order that I’m by no means on this scenario. I searched and searched for one more bag of powdered sugar, however no luck.

So my frosting was 1/2 cup brief on powdered sugar (recipe adjusted for proper quantities), which meant that the frosting was softer than I needed it to be. Usually it wouldn’t be an enormous drawback, however assembling a cake with delicate frosting and delicate caramel in 30+°C (85+°F) temps with no A/C posed a little bit of a problem, to say the least.

Angled shot of the  carrot cake.

Ultimately, all of it labored out and OMG is that this cake good. Perhaps my favourite cake ever. EVER!

Carrot cake is scrumptious as it’s, however one thing in regards to the mixture of the maple and the caramel with the cream cheese frosting is simply pure heaven. It’s so good that Ryan received’t even let me give any slices away, in order that they’re squirreled away in our freezer.

A piece of maple caramel carrot cake on a plate with a fork

For those who’re searching for one thing a bit totally different, a twist on one thing conventional, then that is the cake for you! The cake layers are extremely moist and the maple caramel has a scrumptious and distinctive taste. It truly is my new favourite cake recipe. I hope you prefer it as a lot as I do. Oh and should you’re into all issues maple, remember to give my Maple Cake a strive too!

Often Requested Questions

How can I convert this recipe?

  • The recipe as-is can even work in three 6″ pans. For 3 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. Baking time might must be adjusted.
  • To make cupcakes, all that you must do is scale back the baking time — begin checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes relying on measurement.
  • For different conversions go right here.

Can I make it prematurely?

  • The cooled cake layers might be baked forward of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for as much as 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours earlier than meeting.
  • The frosting might be positioned in an hermetic container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Deliver to room temp and rewhip earlier than utilizing.
  • The caramel might be made the day earlier than and left at room temperature in a single day or refrigerated for a pair weeks (or frozen for longer). You’ll must convey it to room temperature once more earlier than use.
  • The completed cake (entire or sliced, saved hermetic) might be frozen for as much as 3 months.

Can I get the measurements by weight/grams?

  • There’s a Metric possibility within the recipe card. For those who click on it it’s going to convert every little thing to grams.
  • This conversion is finished mechanically and I can’t assure the accuracy however many readers have had success utilizing the metric possibility for this recipe. 

Ideas for this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake

  • Apr 14, 2022Cream Cheese Frosting recipe revised to make a extra steady frosting.
  • You should utilize store-bought caramel should you’d prefer to simplify the recipe, but it surely received’t have a maple taste.
  • For those who refrigerate your caramel, you have to to heat it up a bit earlier than utilizing on the cake. I microwave it in 5 second intervals, stirring in between, till it’s pourable (however not heat).
  • It’s greatest to create a little bit of a lip with the frosting in order that the caramel doesn’t pour out and over the edges.
  • I like to arrange my cake pans utilizing Selfmade Cake Launch then line with parchment.
  • Discover ways to preserve your muffins moist utilizing Easy Syrup.
  • To assist guarantee your cake layers bake up good and flat, see my Flat High Desserts submit.

Maple Caramel Carrot Cake

Spiced carrot cake layers infused with maple syrup and topped with maple caramel & cream cheese frosting.

Course Dessert

Delicacies American

Prep Time 2 hours

Prepare dinner Time 55 minutes

Whole Time 2 hours 55 minutes

Servings 12

Energy 619kcal

Elements 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup cream cheese full fats, chilled, cubed
  • cornstarch or meringue powder optionally available

Directions 

Carrot Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8″ cake rounds, line with parchment.


  • In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Put aside.

  • Within the bowl of a stand mixer mix vegetable oil and sugars. Beat till properly mixed (2 minutes). Add eggs separately, absolutely incorporating after every addition. Add vanilla.

  • Add flour combination in 3 components. Add in carrots.

  • Unfold batter evenly into ready pans and bake for 55mins or till a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out largely clear.


  • Place muffins on wire rack to chill for 10mins then prove onto wire rack to chill fully.


Maple Caramel:

  • Place maple syrup in a medium saucepan and convey to a boil over med-high warmth. Don’t stir at any level.

  • Cut back warmth to medium and simmer till maple syrup begins to brown much more (the bubbles can be very darkish brown) or the temperature reads 240F on a sweet thermometer.

  • Take away from warmth and slowly pour in cream whereas whisking shortly. The combination will bubble up loads. 

  • Return to warmth, add butter, and proceed to prepare dinner for 2-3mins whereas whisking continuously.

  • Cool fully then switch to an hermetic container and retailer within the fridge.*

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • Utilizing a stand mixer or hand mixer beat butter till pale and creamy. Cut back velocity to low. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and blend on low till properly blended. Improve velocity to medium and beat for 3 minutes.

  • Add vanilla and proceed to beat on medium for 1 minute.

  • Slowly add chilled cream cheese one dice at a time (about 1 tablespoon at a time). Beat properly till blended and guarantee no lumps of cream cheese stay.

  • If wanted, add cornstarch or meringue powder 1 tablespoon at a time to stiffen the frosting (I did not however that is an possibility). Run mixer on low for a few minutes to take away any air bubbles.

Meeting:

  • Trim cake layers if wanted. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. High with 1 cup of cream cheese frosting and half of the caramel.**

  • Repeat with remaining layer and sprinkle chopped pecans on prime if desired.

Notes

* For those who refrigerate your caramel, you have to to heat it up a bit earlier than utilizing on the cake. I microwave it in 5 second intervals, stirring in between, till it’s pourable (however not heat).
** It’s greatest to create a little bit of a lip with the frosting in order that the caramel doesn’t pour out the edges.
Maple Caramel recipe tailored from Ricardo Cusine.

Energy: 619kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 5gFats: 23gSaturated Fats: 13gLdl cholesterol: 115mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 363mgFiber: 1gSugar: 76gVitamin A: 6055IUVitamin C: 1.9mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 1.7mg

The dietary info and metric conversions are calculated mechanically. I can’t assure the accuracy of this knowledge. If that is necessary to you, please confirm together with your favourite diet calculator and/or metric conversion device.

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