- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total time
- 50 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- EASY
- Calories
- 1520 kcal
Quick summary
“The carrot cake with ganache unites a moist and orange-colored batter with a silky topping of semi-sweet chocolate with heavy cream. The afternoon coffee classic gains an exquisite finish with the contrast of the creamy topping.”
What you need to know
- Blending the carrot with eggs and oil in the blender forms the emulsified liquid base that gives uniform color.
- The sugar and flour are mixed delicately by hand to maintain the aerated structure and avoid heavy dough.
- The ganache made with melted chocolate and heavy cream maintains a pliable and shiny texture even after cooling.
Ingredients
Main
- Dough: 3 cups of grated carrot, 2 cups of sugar, 1 cup of oil, 4 eggs, 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
- Topping: 200g of semi-sweet chocolate, 1 can of heavy cream.
Instructions
Principal
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease the pan with butter and flour.
- In the blender, beat the carrots, oil, and eggs until you get a homogeneous mixture.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the sugar, mixing well.
- Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder, mixing gently until the batter is homogeneous.
- Pour the dough into the greased pan and place in the oven for about 35 minutes.
- While the cake bakes, melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
- After melting, mix the heavy cream into the chocolate until smooth.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes before unmolding.
- Pour the chocolate topping over the cake while still warm.
- Let the cake cool completely before serving.
Chef's tips
- Weigh or measure the carrots precisely, as the excess liquid from the grated root is the main reason for the dough sinking.
- Do not blend the wheat flour in the blender; use a manual wire whisk to incorporate the dry ingredients gently.
- Heat the water for the bain-marie without letting it boil vigorously to avoid burning the edges of the dark chocolate.
Variations
- Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the raw batter to add citrus notes to the Carrot Cake.
- Sprinkle chocolate sprinkles or dark chocolate shavings over the still moist frosting.
- Bake the batter in individual cupcake liners reducing the oven time to approximately 20 minutes.
Substitutions
- The semi-sweet chocolate in the ganache can be replaced by 200 grams of milk chocolate, reducing the bitterness.
- Soybean vegetable oil can be swapped for corn or sunflower oil without altering the flavor of the dough.
- Canned heavy cream with whey can be replaced by a 200-gram UHT heavy cream box.
How to store
Store the cake in a closed container under refrigeration for up to 5 days due to the use of heavy cream in the topping. Leave the slices at room temperature for 15 minutes before consuming for the ganache to regain its shine and softness.
Can it be frozen?
You can freeze the already baked and cold cake, preferably without the topping, wrapped in plastic film for up to 3 months. If freezing with ganache, thaw slowly in the refrigerator for 12 hours before serving.
What to serve with
Serve with filtered black coffee without sugar to balance the caloric and sweet richness of the chocolate. A glass of cold milk or coffee with milk also works very well for an afternoon snack.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the frosting using chocolate drink powder?
The recipe calls for ganache with chocolate bar and heavy cream; using chocolate drink mix would require butter and milk heated on the stove for a thin syrup.
Why did my Carrot Cake become heavy and dense?
Excess carrot or beating the wheat flour in the blender develops excess gluten and prevents proper dough growth.
Is it necessary to remove the whey from the canned heavy cream?
You can use the full can with the whey for a more fluid topping, or drain the whey if you prefer a thicker and firmer ganache.
Can I unmold the cake right after taking it out of the oven?
Wait about 10 minutes for the batter to set; trying to flip the cake immediately can cause it to break due to concentrated heat.
