Carrot Cake Everything: 7 Delicious Takes on the Classic
It’s officially spring and Easter is right around the corner, which probably means that finding a carrot cake recipe is on your to-do list this week. Let’s face it: Carrot cake plus cream cheese frosting is the season’s best combination. Whether you’re looking for a classic two-tier beauty or a fun twist on the classic, we’ve got you. Below are some of our favorite ways to incorporate the bright orange veggie into dessert.
Carrot Cheesecake (pictured above)
If you believe that cream cheese frosting is the best part of any carrot cake, you’d probably agree that it makes perfect sense to replace it with a thick layer of creamy cheesecake. Do yourself — along with your lucky friends and family — a favor and make this showstopping mash-up dessert.
Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
There’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple. This classic layer cake is lightly spiced with cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg and has an extra-fluffy frosting (thanks to the heavy cream). There are no pineapples or raisins either, which tend to be polarizing carrot cake ingredients.
Cupcakes are cute, and mini cupcakes are cuter. These portable treats by Food Network Magazine are perfect for bringing to a party. You can skip the candied carrot topping, but it’s an impressive touch that is surprisingly easy and fun to make.
Tara Donne, FOOD NETWORK : 2012, Television Food Network, G.P.
Food Network's Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Glaze
Mini Carrot Cakes with Cream Cheese Glaze
Carrots don’t make carrot cake healthy, unfortunately. But there is a way to make a guilt-free — and still totally delicious — version. Greek yogurt keeps these cute loaves moist and flavorful, and using whole-wheat pastry flour results in a tender crumb while adding fiber and protein. Each cake gets 1 teaspoon of cream cheese glaze, which is just enough.
Calling all dessert lovers who don’t actually bake! These tender cakes don’t require an oven. Bonus: The extra surface area allows for more cream cheese frosting per bite. Eat them for breakfast, brunch or dessert (topped with a scoop of ice cream, obviously).
Believe it not, not everyone is a cake person. Cookies are another story, though — they’re irresistible to almost everyone. Food Network Magazine’s carrot cake-oat cookies filled with a marshmallow-cream frosting would be hard to pass up come dessert time.
Matt Armendariz, Copyright 2015
FNK CARROT CAKE GRANOLA Food Network Kitchen Food Network Unsalted Butter, Light Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Vanilla Extract, Cinnamon, Rolled Oats, Carrots, Walnuts, Yogurt Covered Raisins, Dried Pineapple
If you don’t have an excuse to make cake or if someone else is on Easter dessert duty and has shockingly chosen a non-carrot cake recipe, make this granola. This sweet snack filled with oats, walnuts, yogurt-covered raisins, dried pineapples, and of course, shredded carrots, will satisfy your carrot cake cravings.
