Easter Carrot Cake Recipe to Impress

This classic carrot cake is what I’ll bring to Easter lunch! It’s full of spice and topped with a twist of my favorite spiced mascarpone frosting to make it light and delicious.

If you want a more classic carrot cake, you can top it with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Here’s what you need to try this at home:

Ingredients:

Makes a 9 in Cake

Carrot Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp clove
• 3 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 2 cups carrots (grated or shredded)
• 1/2 cup pecans (chopped or crushed)

Mascarpone frosting:

• 16 oz mascarpone
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla paste
• 1 tsp of cinnamon

Instructions:

Carrot Cake Layer

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
2. Grease a 9-inch spring form pan, cut your parchment paper to the size of the pan, and set aside until ready to use.
3. In a large bowl, combine the vegetable oil and brown sugar. Once combined, add in the sour cream.
4. Once the sour cream is incorporated, whisk in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, along with the vanilla paste, and set aside until ready to use.
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
6. With a spatula, combine the wet ingredients and dry ingredients and gently fold them together until just combined, then fold in the carrots and pecans.
7. Once thoroughly combined, pour the batter into the prepared springform pan.
8. Bake at 350°F for about 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. When baked, allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Mascarpone Frosting

1. In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, add the mascarpone, cinnamon, and vanilla paste and mix at low speed for about 1 minute until it becomes creamy.
2. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low to medium speed until a thick consistency is achieved.
3. Add the heavy cream and mix on medium speed until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add more heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.

Assembly:

• Once your cake is cool, frost with the mascarpone frosting and top with pecans.

Enjoy!