When you combine pumpkin pie with carrot cake you’ll get the best of both which makes this the best pumpkin carrot cake you have ever eaten.
Once those cute pumpkins appear on the market, I feel like using them in every dish. Pumpkin is one of my favorite veggies because they serve well in so many recipes. They make delicious soups, couscous, curries, salads, quiche and you can turn them into this crazy delicious pumpkin carrot cake. Although I really enjoy a heartwarming pumpkin pie, I am totally in love with this pumpkin variation of carrot cake.
Pumpkin will make the carrot cake moister
Carrot cake already is super-rich in flavors because of all the warm spices added to the moist batter. Adding pumpkin to it doesn’t only add flavor, it also makes the cake even moister and tender. Besides the texture, pumpkins are rich in nutrition that can benefit you during wintertime. But don’t get me wrong, this cake isn’t defined as healthy, but definitely, will fill your brains with endorphins that will make you feel happy at its first bite! Feeling happy is part of health, isn’t it?
How to make pureed pumpkin?
If you prefer the quickest way you can use canned pumpkin. If you prefer to use fresh pumpkin the preparation will take longer, but you’ll enjoy fresh pumpkin puree. All you need is 300 grams of pumpkin cut into cubes without the skin. Place it in a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Once the pumpkin cubes are soft you can drain the water and place the cubes in a food processor. Pulse a few times until pureed fully.
To prevent the batter to become too moist add the pumpkin to a sieve and let out all the water. Leave it dripping for a bit.
Pumpkin Carrot Cake
Equipment
- Philips HR7629 Food Processor
- 2 cake molds 22-24 cm
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1,5 tsp lemon juice
- 300 gram pumpkin
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1,5 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 tbsp vanilla extract
- 200 grams fresh pineapple
- 1,5 cup shredded coconut
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Frosting
- 500 gram cream cheese (Philadelphia)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- First of all put the cream cheese and butter for the frosting outside so it can cool down to room temperature and get soft. Don't melt it.
- Grate the carrots and transfer them into a kitchen machine that can shred them into fine strings. Measure to ensure you have exactly 1 cup (100 grams). Cut the pumpkin into small cubes of 1 cm and weight them until you got 300 grams. Cook the pumpkin cubes in a pan with water until they are soft. Transfer the cooked pumpkin cubes into a kitchen machine that minces them into a pumpkin puree.
- Sift the pumpkin puree in a sieve and let all the water drip out if it. Leave it for a bit.
- Cut the pineapple into small parts.
- Transfer the pineapple parts into the kitchen machine that minces them into very small pieces.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C. Prepare two 22-24 cm round pans with parchment paper, spray them with cooking spray or spread a little amount of butter on the surface and the sides (so that the cake doesn't stick). Set aside.
- Bake the shredded coconut in a pan until brown. If you prefer to use cinnamon in this recipe you can skip this step and just add some coconut to the mixture later.
- Add the milk to a bowl an mix with the lemon juice. Set aside.
- Add the pumpkin puree (check if it isn't watery)to a large bowl and mix with the brown and white sugar, eggs, vanilla, oil and the milk with lemon with a larg whisk until combined.
- Add the shredded carrot and the pineapple and whisk until smooth. Place a sieve above the bowl and sift in the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Now add the baked coconut to the mix and whisk until smooth.
- Now divide the mixture evenly among the baking pans and bake them for 30-45 minutes. Check with a toothpick if the cake is ready, it needs to come out clean after you stick it in the centre of the cake. Remove from the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes before you separate them from the baking pans.
- Meanwhile you prepare the frosting with help of a kitchen aid or a large bowl and a stand mixer. Mix the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and a tiny pinch of salt until completely smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar but only 1 cup at a time, until you've added 3 cups. Remove 1/4 of the frosting now to go into the center of the cake. Shred a bit of lemon skin into zest and add to the frosting. If desired you could also add a bit of shredded coconut.
- Separate the cakes from the baking pans. Now spread a layer of frosting on one of the cakes. Add the other cake on top. Spread the rest of the frosting all over the cake with a spatula. Once the cake is fully frosted put it in the fridge to firm.
- Meanwhile grate a carrot into thin slices. Caramelize them in a pan with a tablespoon of honey. Let it cook until glazed. Transfer the caramelized carrot to a plate to cool down and harden. Meanwhile chop 1 cup of walnuts. Take the cake out of the fridge and start decorating. Stick the chopped walnuts on the side of the cake and divide the caramelized carrot on the top.
Notes
- Store the cake in the fridge, but make sure you’ll finish it in 2 max 3 days.
- When dividing the cake mixture into the baking pans make sure you do this evenly to prevent the cake layers to be different in size.
