A spiced carrot and root vegetable cake with a Robin Egg frosting.
This show-stopping two-tier carrot cake is packed with root vegetables and sourdough starter for extra tenderness and flavor. It includes not just carrots but beets, ginger, and turmeric as well, giving it a pleasant earthiness and natural spice. However, if you prefer these can be omitted for a more traditional carrot cake. Either way, it is still scrumptious and sweet, with a traditional cream cheese frosting. For a festive look the frosting is speckled with cardamom and tinted blue.
Robin Egg Sourdough Carrot Cake
This moist carrot cake—with added beetroot, ginger, and turmeric—doesn’t shy away from the natural spice and earthiness of root vegetables. While still delightfully sweet, it is also flavored with cinnamon and sourdough starter. The cream cheese frosting is speckled with cardamom and tinted blue for a robin egg effect and overall flavor sensation.
Ingredients
- nonstick spray
- 160 grams (1 cup plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 200 grams (about 2 large) carrots peeled and coarsely grated
- 100 grams (about 1 small) beet peeled and coarsely grated
- 1 1-inch piece ginger finely grated
- 1 1/2-inch piece turmeric finely grated
- 198 grams (1 cup) sugar
- 110 grams (1/2 cup) canola oil
- 1 large egg plus 3 egg yolks
- 120 grams (1/2 cup) sourdough discard
- 113 grams (1 stick) butter room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tbsp milk
- 339 grams (3 cups) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp cardamom seeds
- Blue food dye
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Grease 2 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a small bowl combine carrot, beet, ginger, and turmeric.
- In a large bowl beat together oil and sugar until smooth. Add egg and yolks, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Mix in sourdough starter. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Add carrot mixture and gently mix until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix briefly.
- Pour batter equally into cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let sit for 10 minutes then remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once cooled make frosting. In a stand mixer beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add milk and sift in powdered sugar. Lightly grind cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle then add to frosting and mix until smooth.
- Cut the domed tops off cakes. Spread about 1/3 of the frosting on top of one cake. Cover with second cake top-side down. Mix 2-3 drops of blue food dye into the remaining frosting. Add more as needed until desired color is reached. Refrigerate frosting if too soft then frost the top and sides of cake.
Notes
For a more traditional carrot cake substitute the beet for an additional carrot and omit the ginger and turmeric.
