This Carrot Coffee Cake is so dang good! It has a carrot cake batter and is sprinkled with a simple buttery sugar streusel. This soft and fluffy cake is so delicious and the perfect bake for this spring season.
If you have to bake one cake this Easter weekend, let it be this delicious carrot coffee cake! I can guarantee you it will be a crowd pleaser.
The carrot cake batter comes together in a few easy steps. It's sprinkled with a simple cinnamon sugar streusel, and baked to perfection.
For more carrot recipes, try Carrot Oatmeal Muffins, Easy Carrot Cake, and Carrot Oatmeal Maple Cookies.
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Why this carrot coffee cake is so good
- Easy to make: No electric mixer required.
- Delicious: This carrot cake is SO dang tasty.
- Perfect for spring: The best cake to bring to an Easter dinner!
Ingredients Notes
Here is a list of ingredients for this carrot coffee cake
- Brown sugar – I used dark brown sugar.
- Baking soda & baking powder - Make sure it isn't expired!
- Carrots - These should be finely grated using your grater. Pre-cut carrots won't work, we want them freshly grated.
- Cinnamon - An essential spice in this cake!
- Cornstarch – This helps add a tender crumb to the cake.
- Eggs – Make sure these are at room temperature before beginning.
- Oil - Any flavourless oil works.
- Orange zest - Pairs so well with the carrot flavours!
- Sour cream - I used a full-fat sour cream. Make sure it's at room temperature before beginning.
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this recipe and it cannot be substituted for any other type of flour.
- Vanilla – Using a good quality vanilla is important to enhance the flavours.
Step by step instructions
Here is how to make and bake this Carrot Coffee Cake. You will need an 9×9 square pan lined with parchment paper, three mixing bowls, a spatula, and a whisk.
Step 1 – Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line and grease a 9×9 inch square pan. Grate the carrots using the fine side of your grater.
Step 2 - Make the streusel. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar. Stir together to combine. Then pour the melted and slightly cooled butter on top, and mix together with a fork until a streusel forms. Set in the fridge as you make the cake batter.
Step 3 – Mix dry ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together and set aside.
Step 4 - Mix orange zest and sugar. In a large bowl, add brown sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers for about a minute. This will help release the flavours of the orange.
Step 5 - Add in oil. Whisk in the oil
Step 6 - Add in eggs and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla for 2-3 minutes.
Step 7 - Add in sour cream. Whisk in the sour cream.
Step 8 - Add in carrots. Whisk in the grated carrots.
Step 9 - Mix in dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients in and gently using a spatula, mix until just combined.
Step 10 - Bake. Transfer into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle streusel evenly on top. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (mine took 50 minutes exactly).
This carrot coffee cake is so delicious! It's best served fresh or the next day, you can leave it on your counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week!
Expert Baking Tips
Here are a few expert baking tips from my kitchen to yours
- Make sure all of your wet ingredients are at room temperature. This is superrr important or else the ingredients won’t work the way we want them too together.
- Use a gram scale. I cannot emphasize this enough! It is the most accurate way of measuring your ingredients in the kitchen. This is one of my favourites.
- Grate the carrots finely. Use the small grater section on your grater!
- Do not over-mix! A big reason cakes don’t rise or turn out tough is because the batter is over-mixed. Once you see no flour streaks, stop mixing.
FAQ
How should I grate the carrots?
Grate the fresh carrots on the fine side of your grater (not the coarse or the thinest side, grate the middle 'thickness' of your grater).
Do I have to add the orange zest?
No, but it's recommended for more depth of flavours.
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Carrot Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 large eggs or 3 small, room temperature
- 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
- zest of 1 orange about 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 2/3 cups oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
- 2 cups finely grated carrots
For the streusel
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 5 tbsp butter melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
For the streusel
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, and dark brown sugar. Stir together to combine. Then pour the melted and slightly cooled butter on top, and mix together with a fork until a streusel forms. Set in the fridge as you make the cake batter.1 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cups dark brown sugar, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 5 tbsp butter
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line and grease a 9×9 inch square pan. Grate the carrots using the fine side of your grater.2 cups finely grated carrots
- In a medium-sized bowl, add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together and set aside.1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- In a large bowl, add brown sugar and orange zest. Rub together with your fingers for about a minute. This will help release the flavours of the orange.3/4 cups dark brown sugar, zest of 1 orange
- Whisk in the oil. Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla for 2-3 minutes. Then whisk in the sour cream.2 large eggs, 1 tbsp vanilla, 2/3 cups oil, 1/2 cup sour cream
- Whisk in the grated carrots.2 cups finely grated carrots
- Add the dry ingredients in and gently using a spatula, mix until just combined.
- Transfer into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle streusel evenly on top. Bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (mine took 50 minutes exactly).
- This carrot coffee cake is so delicious! It's best served fresh or the next day, you can leave it on your counter for up to 3 days or in the fridge for a week!
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