Roasted Carrot Cake with Herb Cream

Roasting the carrots first deepens their natural sweetness, giving this American-style carrot cake a caramelized edge classic grated versions miss. Paired with a cool herb cream, it turns a familiar dessert into something quietly special.

Serves 6 · 25 min prep · 60 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 385 cal
• 6g protein
• 48g carbs
• 19g fat
• 3g fiber

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Ingredients

• 1 lb carrots
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup neutral oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp lemon zest

Instructions

1. 1Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and cut the carrots into thick coins, toss with olive oil on a sheet pan, and roast until deeply caramelized and tender, about 25 minutes, flipping once.
2. 2Let the roasted carrots cool slightly, then mash or finely grate them until mostly smooth with a few soft bits remaining for texture.
3. 3Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment.
4. 4In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until evenly combined.
5. 5In a large bowl beat the eggs with both sugars until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stream in the neutral oil and vanilla while mixing.
6. 6Fold the dry mixture into the wet just until no flour streaks remain, then gently stir in the roasted carrot mash until the batter is uniform.
7. 7Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the edges pull slightly from the pan, 32 to 38 minutes.
8. 8Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely before frosting.
9. 9For the herb cream, beat the softened cream cheese until fluffy. Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, chives, thyme, and lemon zest; whip until light and spreadable.
10. 10Spread the herb cream generously over the cooled cake. Chill 20 minutes to set the topping, then slice and serve.