A twist on the classic, I’m using a secret weapon for this moist carrot bundt cake recipe-baby food! This nut-free delicious cake is drizzled with a simple brown sugar glaze, letting the flavors of sweet carrot shine through.
Carrot cake is a favorite flavor around here- but you know what’s not my favorite? Grating carrots! Luckily this delicious carrot cake recipe is made so super easy by using carrot baby food instead of grated carrots.
The cake is thick, moist, and delicious. For spices, I only use cinnamon since I am not a huge fan of nutmeg and cloves, but if you like that, feel free to add it!
As a trained pastry chef I like figuring out different ways to make cake flavors work. Bundt cakes are also my go to cake recipes for when I have company because I dont have to worry about decorating them with their built in design.
From apple bundt cake, to red velvet bundt cake, to strawberry bundt cake, there are always so make good cake options to make!
And dont miss out on how to bake and get a bundt cake out of the pan perfectly. If you follow the tips, your bundts will come out without any problems!
Ingredients needed
For the cake
- All purpose flour
- Brown Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon
- Kosher Salt
- Eggs
- Carrot Baby food- 2 4oz jars.
- Oil
For the glaze
- Brown sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Butter
- Milk
Why use baby food for this cake
This carrot cake recipe goes outside of tradition with one secret weapon: carrot baby food.
Now I know what you’re thinking – baby food? In a cake? Yes. Hear me out…
The silky smooth puree of baby carrot food will not only add extra moisture to this traditionally dense cake but add all that yummy carrot flavor without having to grate carrots.
It helps create a smooth batter to help pick up all those beautiful lines and indentions in your bundt pan.
I’m also deviating from tradition with a brown sugar glaze instead of cream cheese icing. Because nothing says bundt cake like dreamy drizzles pouring over the edges!
HOW TO MAKE CARROT BUNDT CAKE
- Step one: Mix the dry ingredients– In a large bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix lightly.
- Step two: Mix the wet ingredients-In another medium bowl, combine the eggs, the baby carrot food, and oil, and mix away.
- Step three: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix to combine until there are no longer any dry streaks of dry ingredients left.
- Step four– Pour into your very well greased bundt pan and bake for 40-45 minutes. Depending on your pan this might be up to 55 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 10 minutes before turning it out.
- Step five Take a wire rack and place it over the bundt cake, then grip the rack with your thumb and hold on to the bundt with your other fingers, and FLIP. Once that cake is done flipping about, allow it to continue cooling for another 45 minutes on the wire rack before you add the glaze.
MAKE THE GLAZE
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and then add in brown sugar and stir until the sugar has melted. Add in the confectioners sugar and take off the heat.
Keep mixing until thick and then add in milk to create a loose glaze. If it’s still looking a little too thick, keep adding a 1/2 tsp of milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Note: This glaze hardens quickly, so only make it right when the cake has cooled and you’re ready to pour it over the bundt cake.
STORING BUNDT CAKE
Keep this cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. It freezes well too! Just be sure to wrap well in plastic.
Feeds a party of 15 carrot bundt cake lovin’ folks.
Recipe Tips
- If the brown sugar is lumpy when mixing, be sure to mash it well so it doesn’t leave lumps in the batter.
- You’ll know the cake is done when it is puffed up and the edges start to break away from the pan. You can also insert a toothpick into the center, and if it comes out clean it’s done!
- Bake a streusel topping and sprinkle it on top of the cake after you glaze it. Thats what I did here for this
- recipe!
- Add 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and/or cloves to the recipe to make it a little more spicy.
Other toppings for this cake
- Sprinkle the glaze with streusel for an added crunch layer
- Glaze with cream cheese frosting instead!
MORE BUNDT CAKE RECIPES HERE!
Carrot Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 4 oz jars of baby carrot food
- 1 cup vegetable oil
For the brown sugar glaze
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup confectioner sugar
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp milk plus more to thin glaze as needed
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously grease a bundt pan with baking spray.
- In a large bowl combine the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2tsp baking soda, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp kosher salt and mix lightly. You can use a hand or stand mixer too, fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low is using. If the brown sugar is lumpy, mash it so it doesn't leave lumps in the batter.
- In another medium bowl combine the 3 eggs, 2 jars of baby food, and 1 cup oil. Mix to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix by hand or on medium speed to combine.
- Pour the batter into the bundt pan and bake for 40 mins. The cake is done with it is puffed up and the edges are releasing from the sides.
- Allow cake to cool for 10 minutes and then invert into a wire cooling rack.
For the glaze
- Add 1/4 cup butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. When melted add in the 1/2 cup brown sugar, and stir until melted. Add in the 1 cup confectioners sugar and take off the heat. Mix until thick, then add in 1- 2 tbsp milk to create a loose glaze. If the mixture is still too thick add ½ tsp until its the desired consistency.
- Note- this glaze hardens quickly so only make it if you are ready to pour it over the bundt cake. The bundt should be cool before pouring the glaze.
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