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Salted Caramel Carrot Cake Recipe

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4.2 from 25 reviews

This Salted Caramel Carrot Cake combines moist, spiced carrot cake with rich salted caramel sauce and creamy cream cheese frosting for a decadent dessert perfect for gatherings.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Cake:

  • one 15.25-ounce box yellow cake mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 1/2 cups grated carrots

For the Filling:

  • one 10-ounce jar prepared salted caramel sauce OR 10 ounces homemade salted caramel sauce

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • one 14-ounce tub prepared fluffy cream cheese frosting OR
  • 8 ounces cream cheese (softened (lite okay))
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons salted caramel sauce for drizzling (or to taste)

Instructions

  1. For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil for easier cleanup and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. Mix Ingredients: To a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients except the carrots, and beat on high speed for about 2 minutes or until well combined.
  3. Add Carrots: Add the carrots and beat to incorporate. Tip – It’s important to peel and then grate your own carrots on the coarsest blade of a box grater. Bagged, pre-grated carrots have a texture that is not desirable for this recipe.
  4. Bake Cake: Turn batter out into prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for about 28 to 31 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs in the center.
  5. For the Filling: Immediately poke holes in the hot cake with a fork in about 100 places, going about 3/4 of the way down but not all the way to the bottom of the cake.
  6. Caramel Sauce: Either use prepared salted caramel sauce (Trader Joe’s 10-ounce jars are perfect here) OR to make from scratch follow this recipe.
  7. Pour Caramel: Evenly and slowly pour the salted caramel sauce over the cake. Tip – If you are using prepared caramel sauce, warm the caramel sauce in the microwave for about 10 seconds before pouring it over the cake because it will make the pouring and absorption process easier.
  8. Absorb Caramel: Allow the caramel sauce to absorb for at least one hour, or overnight if desired, at room temp and covered. Not all of the caramel sauce may ‘absorb’ into the cake by sinking into the cake deeply and may sit on the surface and that is fine.
  9. For the Cream Cheese Frosting: Either use a tub of prepared frosting OR to make from scratch, to a large bowl (or to the bowl of a stand mixer) add the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, salt, and beat with an electric mixer (or use the paddle attachment of a stand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  10. Frost Cake: Turn frosting out over the cake and spread into a smooth, even, flat layer using a spatula or knife.
  11. Drizzle Caramel: Evenly drizzle 2 to 4 tablespoons salted caramel sauce over the cake before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • It’s important to peel and then grate your own carrots on the coarsest blade of a box grater for best texture.
  • If using prepared caramel sauce, warm it in the microwave for about 10 seconds before pouring to help absorption.
  • Not all salted caramel sauce may absorb into the cake; some may remain on the surface, which is fine.

Find it online: https://yumfoodusa.com/salted-caramel-carrot-cake-recipe/