Carrot cake with berries

December 5, 2022 By Olga Babitskaya

Prep Time: 40m

Cook Time: 1h

I tend to avoid grand proclamations like “This is the best cupcake ever!” or “The only cake you’ll ever need!” because taste is subjective. However, I genuinely love carrot cake, and this specific recipe is one I will definitely come back to. Whether it ends up being the absolute best version for you is something only you can decide, but this homemade carrot cake is certainly worth trying. It yields a cake that is incredibly moist, fluffy, and light. It’s packed with fresh carrots and heart-healthy walnuts, featuring a balanced sweetness that gives it a professional bakery quality.

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients:

• 400 gr carrots
• 280 gr sugar
• 3 eggs
• 75 gr dried cranberries
• 160 gr vegetable oil
• 260 gr flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp spices (cinnamon + nutmeg+ orange peel)
• 200 gr mascarpone
• 160 gr cream
• 60 gr powdered sugar
• Vanilla
• 130 gr frozen (or fresh) berries
• 180 gr butter
• 160 gr mascarpone
• white dye (optional)
• 48 grams of sugar
• 48 gr yolk
• 25 gr cornstarch
• 30 gr butter

Dry Ingredients:

• 150 gr nuts (finely ground)

Layering cream

• 360 gr cream Patissier (RECIPE 👇)

Smoothing cream

• 180 gr white chocolate

Cream Patissier

• 250 ml milk

Instructions

1. Carrot Cake Batter Assembly

Start by beating the eggs with the sugar. Pour boiling water over the cranberries to rehydrate them. Grate the fresh carrots using a small grater. Combine the butter, the egg mixture, grated carrots, and cranberries. Take about 2 tablespoons of flour from the total amount, add it to the nuts, and grind them finely. Sift the remaining flour with the salt, baking soda, baking powder, and spices. Finally, mix the wet and dry components together to form your carrot cake batter.

2. Baking Your Carrot Cake Layers

Pour the batter into four 17 cm molds. Bake at 175°C for approximately 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. If you are using two larger forms, you will need to increase the baking time. If you only have a single mold, simply divide the recipe ingredients in half and bake in batches.

3. Preparing Cream Patissier and Layering Cream

Cream Patissier

This is a staple cream for any baker. It is easy to make, and mastering the technique is useful for creating puddings and custard bases. Bring the milk to a boil. Separately, mix the yolks with the starch and sugar. Pour the hot milk into the yolks in a thin stream while stirring vigorously to temper them. Return the mixture to the saucepan, bring it back to a boil, and let it bubble gently for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the butter and blend until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap touching the surface (contact method) and refrigerate for 4-5 hours.

Layering Cream for Your Carrot Cake

Blend the chilled cream patissier until smooth. Add the mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla, then beat until fluffy. When assembling the cake, distribute about 45g of berries (frozen or fresh) into each layer.

4. Crafting the Smoothing Cream (Carrot Cake Frosting)

Melt the white chocolate using your preferred method. (I usually microwave it in short 10-second pulses, stirring between each heating). Beat the room-temperature butter until it becomes white and fluffy. Add the mascarpone to the butter. If the mixture looks curdled or flaky, don’t worry—this usually happens if the mascarpone was too cold. Once you add the warm chocolate, it should emulsify and become smooth again. Add the melted white chocolate (and white food coloring if desired) and beat until fluffy. Use this frosting to smooth and finish your cake immediately.