Description
Culinary magic unfolds with this carrot pound cake, a delightful dessert that merges rustic charm and sweet indulgence. Rich layers of moist cake invite you to savor each carefully crafted bite, promising a comforting embrace of homemade goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1.75 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 cups finely grated carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
- 0.5 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Frosting and Topping:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (adjust for consistency)
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.25 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- A sprinkle of cinnamon
Instructions
- Thoroughly grease a 9-inch bundt pan with butter, ensuring complete coverage. Dust the interior with a light layer of flour, tapping out any excess to prevent cake sticking.
- Sift together all dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger – creating a uniform mixture that will distribute flavors evenly throughout the cake.
- In a separate spacious mixing bowl, cream softened butter with granulated sugar until the mixture transforms into a pale, airy consistency that looks almost cloud-like.
- Incorporate eggs individually into the butter-sugar mixture, thoroughly blending after each addition to maintain a smooth texture. Introduce vanilla extract, stirring gently to infuse aromatic depth.
- Fold in sour cream, stirring until the batter achieves a silky, uniform appearance without overmixing.
- Gradually integrate the pre-sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture, using gentle folding motions to maintain the batter’s delicate structure.
- Carefully fold freshly grated carrots into the batter, distributing them evenly to ensure each slice will have a consistent carrot presence.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared bundt pan, smoothing the surface with a spatula to create an even top that will bake uniformly.
- Position the pan in a preheated oven at 325°F (163°C), baking for approximately 55-65 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should emerge clean with no raw batter.
- Allow the cake to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, enabling it to set and ease removal. Carefully invert onto a wire cooling rack.
- Prepare the cream cheese glaze by whisking cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until achieving a silky, pourable consistency.
- Once the cake has completely cooled, drizzle the glaze artfully across the top, allowing it to cascade down the cake’s sides.
- Optional: Sprinkle chopped pecans or a delicate dusting of cinnamon over the glazed cake for added texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Grate carrots finely to ensure they blend seamlessly into the cake batter, creating a moist and tender texture without large carrot chunks.
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs, butter, and sour cream to help them incorporate more evenly and create a smoother batter.
- Check cake doneness early to prevent over-baking, which can dry out the pound cake and make it tough.
- Swap out regular flour with gluten-free flour blend for a celiac-friendly version without compromising the cake’s rich flavor and soft crumb.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 365
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 182 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg