I kid you not, this is the best carrot cake I have ever made/eaten! After a few tests, I finally nailed an amazingly moist, carrot-y, sweet, and beautiful carrot cake recipe that I know you guys will absolutely love!
This Applesauce Carrot Cake with Date Glaze has a secret ingredient in it that gives it a beautiful golden orange color and distinct carrot flavor to the cake.
And the secret ingredient is…carrot baby food! I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time to grate a bunch of carrots, nor do I want to start taking out my food processor just for that! I always keep carrot baby food in my pantry now-seriously, it works like a charm! There’s only one carrot in here to give the cake those pretty carrot specs and texture.
Rosh Hashanah inspired the addition of applesauce in this recipe. The applesauce not only makes this a healthier cake, but it gives an extra sweetness to the cake-also perfect for the holiday.
Last but not least, the date syrup glaze. It not only dresses up the cake, and makes it a total showstopper, but it adds more sweetness to the cake to symbolize a sweet new year. I love when the glaze dries-it forms the perfect coating-almost like a giant glazed donut.
Btw, this cake definitely does not need the glaze to make it moist. This cake is so moist on its own, so feel free to make it without the glaze.
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or pure vanilla extract
- 2 (4-ounce) jars carrot baby food
- 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup oil
- ½ cup apple sauce, sweetened
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped, optional
- For the date glaze:
- 2½ cups confectionary sugar
- 2 tablespoons date syrup
- ¼-1/2 cup warm water
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease desired bundt pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the flour, cinnamon and sugar. Add in the vanilla, baby food, carrot, eggs, oil, apple sauce and walnuts (if using) . Mix until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Set aside and let cool completely.
- To make the glaze, mix together confectionary sugar and date syrup. Slowly add in the water, a little at a time, until thick and slightly runny.
- Pour glaze over cooled cake and serve!
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