This spin on classic carrot cake tastes even better the day after it’s baked.
Chocolate Carrot Cake
Makes 1 (13-cup) cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 cups shredded carrots
- ¾ cup chopped semisweet chocolate, plus more for garnish
- Cream Cheese Glaze (recipe follows)
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugars, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, ginger, baking soda, and nutmeg. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, whisking until just combined. Fold in carrots and chocolate.
- Spray a 13-cup cast-iron fluted cake pan with baking spray with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan. Gently tap pan on counter lined with a kitchen towel a few times to release air bubbles.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto wire rack, and let cool completely. Top with Cream Cheese Glaze. Garnish with chopped chocolate, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cream Cheese Glaze
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, milk, and salt, beating until well combined and smooth.
