Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting

Classic carrot cake gets a modern makeover with a cardamom and mascarpone frosting.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Mascarpone Frosting
Photo: Jennifer Davick
Prep Time:
45 mins
Bake Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 15 mins
Servings:
16

Ingredients

  • 4 large carrots, peeled

  • 2 ½ cup all-purpose flour (313 g)

  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 cup sugar (378 g)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 5 eggs, separated, at room temperature

  • ¾ cup buttermilk

  • Mascarpone Frosting

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans and line with parchment paper; set aside. Finely shred 3 of the carrots and coarsely shred 1 carrot. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg; set aside.

  2. In a large mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in sugar until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the carrots and vanilla until combined. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk to butter mixture (batter will be thick).

  3. Thoroughly wash beaters. In a clean large mixing bowl beat egg whites with electric mixer just until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold into butter mixture. Divide between prepared pans filling with about 3 cups batter (about 1/3 full). Bake for 30 minutes or until cakes pull away from sides of pans and a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Spread with frosting.

Mascarpone Frosting

In a very large mixing bowl beat 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks) softened unsalted butter, cream 8-ounces softened cheese, and 8-ounce softened mascarpone cheese until combined. Add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually add 1 pound (3-1/2 cups) powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Do not overbeat.

6-inch cake

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 6-inch round cake pans. Prepare cake batter as directed. Fill each pan with 11 ounces (312 grams) cake batter (1/3 full). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely. Make cupcakes with remaining batter by spooning batter into paper bake cup-lined 2 1/2-inch muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 minutes or until done. Cool in cups 5 minutes; remove and cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

682 Calories
42g Fat
72g Carbs
6g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 16
Calories 682
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 25g 125%
Cholesterol 171mg 57%
Sodium 292mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 72g 26%
Total Sugars 55g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 1.4mg 7%
Calcium 81mg 6%
Iron 1.4mg 8%
Potassium 161mg 3%
Fatty acids, total trans 1g
Folate, total 50.3mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.3mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.1mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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