Carrot Cake Poke Cake
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Carrot Cake Poke Cake with Salted Caramel Cinnamon Glaze, you can’t go wrong serving this rich, moist, and decadent dessert.
With the warm flavors of cinnamon and brown sugar, I think of carrot cake as being a fall dessert. I see it a lot during the spring and I even made a Carrot Cake in the shape of a bunny for my youngest son’s birthday one year. You know, Easter equals bunnies equals carrots equals carrot cake…
Carrot Cake Poke Cake
I changed up the frosting this time on my favorite Carrot Cake recipe. I usually frost them with the best cream cheese icing. This time I opted for a lighter version. But, then I poked holes in it and poured caramel on, so, you know, no calories saved. But it’s so worth running an extra mile! You are going to love this icing. Feel free to use this icing on my Lemon Cake or Strawberry Cake or eat from the bowl with a big spoon. I can attest that it’s especially good that way!
I baked this cake in a 10 inch springform pan. It took 33 minutes to bake. If you use a different size pan, adjust the cook time. You can use a wooden pick to test the center. When the pick comes out clean or with a few ‘dry’ crumbs on it, your cake is done.
Carrot Cake Recipe
Cool the cake 10 to 15 minutes before poking holes in it and pouring Salted Caramel Cinnamon Glaze on top. Allow this glaze to soak in before running a knife around the edge then releasing from the pan. You’ll also want to cool on a wire rack completely before icing it. This frosting likes a cool cake, or else it’ll want to slide right off! Trust me, I’ve been there!
The Salted Caramel Cinnamon Glaze makes more than you’ll need for this cake. I don’t reduce the quantities because the sauce is good on pancakes, pound cakes, waffles, over apples, cookies, cheesecakes or in milkshakes. If you choose, you can half the recipe for this cake. I pour only 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup over the cake.
When you’re mixing this cake together, you may think it’s too thin. This is a very thin batter, but it bakes nicely and has a light texture. And it’s super moist. I ate the piece that I cut to photograph then gave the cake to a friend. I saw him the next day and he raved about how it was even better the second day. This makes it the perfect dessert if you plan to serve this to guests. Just make it the day before and there’s one less thing to think about and do the day of dinner! Just remember, you’ll need to store it in the refrigerator.
Helpful hints
You’ll want to grate the carrots fresh. I find the pre-shredded carrots are dry and have less flavor. You can grate traditionally or try chopping them in a food processor. I chop them in the food processor because I like smaller pieces of carrot in my cakes.
The salted caramel will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Reheat before serving.
*You can bake in a 10-inch round cake or pie pan
Refrigerate the bowl and whisk attached of your electric mixer for 30 minutes, if you have time. This will make the whipping process quicker.
Store in refrigerator.
You’ll enjoy my Easy Strawberry Cake, Margarita Cupcakes, and Pineapple Upside-Down Bread Pudding too.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary based on the products used.
Carrot Cake Poke Cake with Salted Caramel Cinnamon Glaze
Ingredients
Glaze
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 and ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Cake
- 1 and ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup carrots grated*
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup pecans toasted and chopped
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup powdered sugar (aka confectioners)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Glaze
- Heat a medium size sauce pan. Add butter and melt. Add brown sugar and whipping cream. Whisk. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Whisk in cinnamon and salt. Cool to room temperature before pouring over cake.
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Stir together flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt.
- Beat eggs, sugar, milk, butter and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add flour mixture. Beat on low until blended
- Fold in carrots, raisins and pecans.
- Pour into a 10-inch spring-form pan.**
- Bake at 350 degrees 27 to 30 minutes.
Frosting
- Using an electric mixer with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream until light and fluffy.
- In another bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
- Carefully fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
- Frost cooled carrot cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are important to you, I recommend calculating them yourself.
Do you grease and flour the pan first? Should a springform pan be wrapped with aluminum foil in case it leaks? This looks and sounds amazing but I’m concerned about it sticking to the sides of the pan or since the batter is thin, that it might leak out of the pan.
Yes, it needs to sprayed or greased. If you have a regular springform pan, it does need to be wrapped. (I have one that doesn’t leak)
I will be interested to taste this cake because it turned out quite thin. Perhaps better in a 9” pan? To completely incorporate the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, I had to use my mixer briefly. It makes a huge amount and tastes lovely.
What is “whipping creamCake??
We actually use all the 2 cups whipping cream etc. glaze for a one layer cake? Wouldn’t this amount totally soak the cake to total wetness?
This is how I made it.
I’ve never made a carrot cake or most other baked goods as they looked seemed too hard as I’m not a baker, but this recipe has changed my mind. Husband will be so excited as carrot cake is his favorite.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
I’m so glad, that really makes me happy, Mary. Honestly, I’d rather bake than make ‘real’ food, that’s only because I like to eat sweets more.
Your cake looks amazing and that glaze sounds so delicious!
Thank you Maria!
Ken loves carrot cake! Will have to give this a try sometime. Thanks for sharing, Paula!
I gave this one to a friend, he literally ordered one the next day for his Thanksgiving dinner! haha
This looks heavenly! My stomach is growling.