Maple Caramel Carrot Cake – Liv for Cake
Spiced carrot cake layers infused with maple syrup and topped with maple caramel & cream cheese frosting.
We’re loads of the tactic by way of August now, which suggests we’re that loads nearer to Fall (my fave season), and I truly could not be happier.
We’re nonetheless in summer season season mode, so I’m not going to bust out the pumpkin recipes merely however. Nevertheless I assumed it is going to be a great time to do a seasonal transition cake of sorts, using these up to date carrots out of your yard or native farmers market and pairing them with the comforting Fall flavors of maple to make this delicious Maple Caramel Carrot Cake.
I had so many challenges with this cake that at one degree I considered the probability that the universe didn’t want me to make this recipe.
There are too many carrot cake recipes in the marketplace already (it acknowledged), why does the world need one different one?! Nonetheless, I’m glad I persevered, on account of this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake is definitely like no totally different.
Cake Tip!
Don’t try to make use of rainbow carrots pondering you’ll have a fairly, vibrant rainbow cake. You gained’t.
Strategies to Make this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
Little acknowledged actuality (not lower than to me): purple carrots flip darkish inexperienced when baked in a cake. True story.
My genuine imaginative and prescient for this cake involved the gorgeous rainbow carrots you possibly can see all through farmers market stalls this time of 12 months. I LOVE them. I assumed they is likely to be so pretty in a cake — the contrasts of the orange, yellow, and purple… SO pretty correct? Correct. Lots to my dismay when the cake layers bought right here out of the oven, I knew my glorious rainbow imaginative and prescient was not going to happen.
My evaluation into why this happens led me a bit astray. Each little factor I found talked about frequent orange carrots turning inexperienced, and the perpetrator was baking soda. The orange carrots in my cake had been excellent though — it was the purple ones that had been the issue. I feel it was most likely nonetheless the acid inside the baking soda, though.
At any cost, cake #1 was scrapped on account of darkish inexperienced worm-like specks by way of the layers (not pretty). It actually would have been scrapped anyway though, on account of the layers didn’t bake up as tall or pretty as I wanted, so I needed to tweak the recipe. Merely as properly, nevertheless I was sad to give up my dream of the rainbow carrots!
Maple Caramel
The next issue was with the maple caramel. I don’t know why, nevertheless I on a regular basis have factors with caramel. It’s easy enough to make (or have to be), nevertheless it certainly on a regular basis affords me points.
Caramel and I are normally not BFF’s and certain not at all will seemingly be. It’s merely a sort of points. My first attempt appeared favor it was going okay, nevertheless one factor was off and I ended up with a thick, crystallized mess. Strive # 2 was considerably higher.
Strategies to Make Caramel
I now have an in depth tutorial on Strategies to Make Caramel with all sorts of concepts and troubleshooting.
Assembling the cake was no picnic each.
By some means I was low on powdered sugar. How this would possibly happen nonetheless boggles my ideas. I am usually so diligent about noting parts I am working temporary on so that I’m not at all on this state of affairs. I searched and looked for yet another bag of powdered sugar, nevertheless no luck.
So my frosting was 1/2 cup temporary on powdered sugar (recipe adjusted for correct portions), which meant that the frosting was softer than I wanted it to be. Normally it wouldn’t be an infinite downside, nevertheless assembling a cake with easy frosting and easy caramel in 30+°C (85+°F) temps with no A/C posed a little bit little bit of an issue, to say the least.
In the long term, all of it labored out and OMG is that this cake good. Maybe my favorite cake ever. EVER!
Carrot cake is delicious because it’s, nevertheless one factor in regards to the combination of the maple and the caramel with the cream cheese frosting is just pure heaven. It’s so good that Ryan gained’t even let me give any slices away, so that they’re squirreled away in our freezer.
For many who’re trying to find one factor a little bit of fully totally different, a twist on one factor standard, then that’s the cake for you! The cake layers are extraordinarily moist and the maple caramel has a delicious and distinctive style. It actually is my new favorite cake recipe. I hope you favor it as loads as I do. Oh and in case you’re into all points maple, ensure you give my Maple Cake a try too!
Steadily Requested Questions
How can I convert this recipe?
- The recipe as-is might even work in three 6″ pans. For 3 8″ pans, 1.5x the recipe. Baking time may needs to be adjusted.
- To make cupcakes, all it is good to do is in the reduction of the baking time — start checking at 15mins or so. The recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes counting on measurement.
- For various conversions go proper right here.
Can I make it upfront?
- The cooled cake layers is likely to be baked ahead of time, double wrapped in plastic wrap, and frozen for as a lot as 3 months. Take out 2-3 hours sooner than assembly.
- The frosting is likely to be positioned in an airtight container and refrigerated for 1 week for frozen for 3 months. Carry to room temp and rewhip sooner than using.
- The caramel is likely to be made the day sooner than and left at room temperature in a single day or refrigerated for a pair weeks (or frozen for longer). You’ll should convey it to room temperature as soon as extra sooner than use.
- The finished cake (whole or sliced, saved airtight) is likely to be frozen for as a lot as 3 months.
Can I get the measurements by weight/grams?
- There is a Metric risk inside the recipe card. For many who click on on it it ought to convert all of the items to grams.
- This conversion is accomplished mechanically and I cannot guarantee the accuracy nevertheless many readers have had success using the metric risk for this recipe.
Concepts for this Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
- Apr 14, 2022 – Cream Cheese Frosting recipe revised to make a further regular frosting.
- It is best to use store-bought caramel in case you’d favor to simplify the recipe, nevertheless it certainly gained’t have a maple style.
- For many who refrigerate your caramel, it would be best to warmth it up a bit sooner than using on the cake. I microwave it in 5 second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s pourable (nevertheless not warmth).
- It’s best to create a little bit little bit of a lip with the frosting so that the caramel doesn’t pour out and over the perimeters.
- I like to prepare my cake pans using Handmade Cake Launch then line with parchment.
- Uncover methods to take care of your truffles moist using Straightforward Syrup.
- To help assure your cake layers bake up good and flat, see my Flat Prime Truffles submit.
Maple Caramel Carrot Cake
Spiced carrot cake layers infused with maple syrup and topped with maple caramel & cream cheese frosting.
Servings 12
Vitality 619kcal
Parts
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup cream cheese full fat, chilled, cubed
- cornstarch or meringue powder elective
Instructions
Carrot Cake:
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Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8″ cake rounds, line with parchment.
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In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Put apart.
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Inside the bowl of a stand mixer combine vegetable oil and sugars. Beat until properly combined (2 minutes). Add eggs individually, completely incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
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Add flour mixture in 3 elements. Add in carrots.
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Unfold batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 55mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out principally clear.
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Place truffles on wire rack to relax for 10mins then show onto wire rack to relax absolutely.
Maple Caramel:
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Place maple syrup in a medium saucepan and produce to a boil over med-high heat. Do not stir at any degree.
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In the reduction of heat to medium and simmer until maple syrup begins to brown way more (the bubbles will seemingly be very darkish brown) or the temperature reads 240F on a candy thermometer.
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Take away from heat and slowly pour in cream whereas whisking quickly. The mixture will bubble up a lot.
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Return to heat, add butter, and proceed to cook dinner dinner for 2-3mins whereas whisking frequently.
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Cool absolutely then change to an airtight container and retailer inside the fridge.*
Cream Cheese Frosting:
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Using a stand mixer or hand mixer beat butter until pale and creamy. In the reduction of velocity to low. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix on low until properly blended. Improve velocity to medium and beat for 3 minutes.
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Add vanilla and proceed to beat on medium for 1 minute.
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Slowly add chilled cream cheese one cube at a time (about 1 tablespoon at a time). Beat properly until blended and assure no lumps of cream cheese keep.
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If needed, add cornstarch or meringue powder 1 tablespoon at a time to stiffen the frosting (I didn’t nevertheless that’s an risk). Run mixer on low for a couple of minutes to remove any air bubbles.
Assembly:
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Trim cake layers if needed. Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. Prime with 1 cup of cream cheese frosting and half of the caramel.**
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Repeat with remaining layer and sprinkle chopped pecans on excessive if desired.
Notes
** It’s best to create a little bit little bit of a lip with the frosting so that the caramel doesn’t pour out the perimeters.
Maple Caramel recipe tailor-made from Ricardo Cusine.
Vitality: 619kcalCarbohydrates: 98gProtein: 5gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 13gLdl ldl cholesterol: 115mgSodium: 262mgPotassium: 363mgFiber: 1gSugar: 76gVitamin A: 6055IUVitamin C: 1.9mgCalcium: 134mgIron: 1.7mg
The dietary data and metric conversions are calculated mechanically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If that’s important to you, please verify alongside along with your favorite vitamin calculator and/or metric conversion software program.
