Chocolate Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Name: Chocolate Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; The Spice House Dutched Cocoa Powder (9 tablespoons); 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 tsp baking soda; (3/4 teaspoon); 3/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar; 3/4 cup light brown sugar; 3/4 cup olive oil; 1 egg yolk, room temperature; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 6 tablespoons buttermilk, room temperature; The Spice House Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract (1 1/2 teaspoons); 3/4 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly; 2 cups lightly packed, finely grated carrots; FOR THE CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE WHIPPED CREAM; 1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature; 2 cups heavy cream; 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar; The Spice House Madagascar Pure Vanilla Extract (2 teaspoons); The Spice House Saigon Ground Cassia Cinnamon (1 teaspoon)

Moist chocolate carrot loaf topped with cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream. Tips for oil choice, baking time, storage, and make-ahead.

chocolate carrot cake recipe with cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect dessert. But if you add cocoa powder to the cake and turn the frosting into a cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream, well then you’ve made just about everyone about a trillion times happier.

Submitted by Jessie Sheehan Bakes

This chocolate carrot loaf stays moist thanks to olive oil, grated carrots, and a short 15 minute batter rest before baking.
Make the cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream with a chilled bowl and room temperature cream cheese; whip to stiff peaks and use soon after.
Store cake and frosting separately when possible. Cake often tastes better the next day and freezes well without the frosting.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
9 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup, plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup olive oil
1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
6 tablespoons buttermilk, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 ounce unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
2 cups lightly packed, finely grated carrots
FOR THE CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray or softened butter. Line with parchment paper, so the paper goes up the two short sides of the pan. Set aside.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and whisk long enough to insure the leavening is evenly distributed. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the sugars and oil and whisk vigorously. Add the yolk and eggs, one at a time, gently whisking after each addition. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and whisk again. Add the melted chocolate and whisk a final time.

Add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture, and with a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry into the wet, until a few streaks of flour remain. Add the carrots and fold again, until the carrots are completely incorporated. Let the cake batter rest for 15 minutes. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the cake after 15, and checking it with a cake tester/toothpick after 35. the tester should have a few moist crumbs on it, but nothing too wet.

While the cake bakes, make the whipped cream.

Refrigerate the bowl of a stand mixer and the whisk attachment (or a medium metal bowl and beaters from a hand mixer) until quite cold, about 15 minutes.

Once chilled, remove the bowl and whisk from the refrigerator, add the cream cheese, and whip it on medium speed until smooth. Add the cream and continue to whip on medium speed until the cream is incorporated.

Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon and, on medium-high speed, whip the cream mixture until it holds stiff peaks that stand upright when the whisk is raised. Use it immediately, or refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in its pan on a cooling rack for about 20 minutes or so, or until the cake is still warm, but you can easily hold the pan without burning yourself. Invert the cake onto the cooling rack and let the cake cool completely. Serve slices spread with cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream.

More About This Recipe

Do NOT use extra virgin or any neutral oil of your choosing. Use standard olive oil.

This cake actually improves with time and is even better after one day.

<p>If you enjoyed this recipe, check out more <a href=/blogs/recipes/tagged/baking>baking recipes here.</a></p>

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use extra virgin olive oil or another oil?

Avoid extra virgin olive oil because its strong flavor can taste bitter after baking. The recipe calls for standard regular olive oil. If needed, you can also use neutral oils like canola or vegetable oil for a similar texture and mild flavor.

Does the recipe require Dutch process cocoa powder?

The recipe lists Dutch process cocoa for best flavor and color. You can use natural cocoa if that is what you have, but expect a slightly different taste and shade. No other recipe adjustments are required for a single substitution.

What can I use instead of buttermilk?

Make a quick buttermilk substitute by adding 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice to 6 tablespoons milk and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes. You can also use plain yogurt thinned with a little milk to the same volume.

Why does the batter need to rest for 15 minutes before baking?

Letting the batter rest hydrates the flour and cocoa, helps the oil and liquids blend, and lets the grated carrots release moisture. That rest time improves texture and gives a more even crumb.

How do I know when the cake is done?

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes. Test at 35 minutes with a toothpick or cake tester. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If it is very wet, bake a few more minutes and test again.

How do I make and store the cinnamon cream cheese whipped cream?

Chill the mixing bowl and whisk. Whip room temperature cream cheese until smooth, add cold heavy cream and whip, then add confectioners sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. Beat to stiff peaks. Use the frosting the same day for best texture. Refrigerate up to 24 to 48 hours, but expect some loss of volume. For longer stability, add a small amount of gelatin or a commercial stabilizer.

How should I store or freeze the cake?

Store the unfrosted cake at room temperature for a day in an airtight container, or refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. If you plan to freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic and foil and freeze up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature. Freeze without the whipped cream and add frosting after thawing.

Can I turn this loaf into cupcakes or a layer cake?

Yes. For cupcakes, fill liners about two thirds full and bake 18 to 22 minutes. For layer cakes, use two 8 or 9 inch round pans and watch bake time; rounds will take longer than cupcakes but less than the loaf. You may need to double the recipe for multiple layers.

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