Sourdough Carrot Snack Cake


Cakes & Cupcakes No Seed Oils Sourdough High Altitude Spring Easter | Published April 5, 2023 by Mimi Council

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This sourdough Carrot Snack Cake is a simple organic carrot cake for Easter! It’s moist, lightly spiced, topped with a cream cheese icing, and decorated with naturally colored small piped carrots!

If you’re looking for more Easter desserts, check out my Easter Bunny Cake, Orange Ginger Carrot Cake, or my Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes.

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Carrot cake was one of the first recipes I ever developed on my own. And, it was a signature recipe that every single one of my friends got for their birthday whether they asked for it not, haha! My traditional organic carrot cake recipe was served at my bakery and the recipe is in my book, The Mountain Baker.

But, since organic carrot cake has such a place in my heart, I've come up with many variations over the years! My Orange Carrot Ginger Cake, Brown Sugar Carrot Cupcakes, Honey Apple Carrot Cake, Vegan Strawberry Carrot Cake, (okay I won't list them all) and now this Carrot Snack Cake that uses sourdough discard!

This is another collab with my friend Hannah at Make It Dough! Each month we collaborate on a recipe using sourdough discard. And, we knew we had to make an organic carrot cake for Easter! This organic cake uses fresh carrots, reduces waste using sourdough discard, and uses plant based dyes for the ultimate Easter carrot snack cake.

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Carrot Snack Cake: You will love this simple carrot snack cake for Easter! It uses up sourdough discard for a unique carrot cake flavor, unlike any other! I also top this Carrot Snack Cake with a cream cheese icing.

Naturally Colored: I use Suncore Foods natural dyes to pipe little buttercream carrots onto the top of this simple organic cake. This part is totally optional! But, it does make for a really cute carrot snack cake!

Tried & True: This is another collaboration recipe with my friend Hannah at Make It Dough! Hannah has got me making more sourdough recipes and I hope you're all enjoying them! I think this one is my favorite one yet! Whenever we do a collab, you can be confident this recipe has been combed over multiple times by both of us!

Organic Cake: I use organic ingredients and plant based dyes in this Carrot Snack Cake. I decorate this with the tiny carrots, so it resembles a carrot snack cake you'd get at a grocery store bakery, but this one is free of artificial colors, preservatives and more.

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Ingredients

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Tools Needed

  • Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
  • Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease, but you can use a hand mixer if you prefer.
  • Baking Pan: I use a 9×9-inch baking pan for this organic carrot cake. You can also use a 9-inch round cake pan as well. You can also double this recipe to make a larger cake and use a 9×13-inch baking pan as well.
  • Piping Bags: You'll need two piping bags to pipe the decorated carrots. This part is optional though!
  • Decorating Tips: I use Ateco tip #6 for the carrots and Ateco tip #68 for the stems.

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sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter
sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter
sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or alternatively in hand mixer or bowl with whisk) add the carrots, melted butter, cane sugar, sourdough discard, eggs, and cream. Mix on low to combine.

In a separate bowl, add the white whole wheat flour, rye flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt and whisk together. Add to the carrot mixture and mix on low to combine.

Step 2

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pan.

Step 3

To make the frosting: In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high and mix for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Reserve about ⅓ cup frosting, set aside.

Add the remaining frosting to the top of the cake and spread evenly.

Step 4

With the ⅓ cup frosting that was set aside, divide into bowls of two thirds and one third.

Add a small pinch of green dye to the one third and stir to combine. If you want it darker you can add more. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #68.

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the orange dye to the bowl with two thirds, stir to combine. If you want it darker orange, you can add more. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #6.

Using the orange frosting, pipe a line the size of the carrot you’d like to pipe and zig zag the frosting back and forth while making the line shorter each time so it creates a triangle.

Using the green frosting with the tip vertical (not horizontal as you’ll get a petal) pipe 2 to 3 small stems. Continue adding carrots on the cake in a freeform way!

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter
sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

FAQ's

What if I don't have sourdough discard?

If you don’t have sourdough discard, you can still make this simple carrot cake for Easter! Replace the sourdough discard with ¼ cup water and 57 grams organic all purpose flour. Add these two ingredients to a separate bowl, mix together, and then add in place of the sourdough discard.

What if i don't have creamer?

I use Organic Valley Sweet Cream Creamer in this cake recipe. If you don’t have creamer, you can use heavy whipping cream or even milk. I just like the taste that the Organic Valley Sweet Cream Creamer provides in this cake.

What if I don't have rye flour?

I use a little bit of rye flour here for added flavor. If you don’t have rye flour, you can use whole wheat or spelt flour instead. Or, you can also just use more white whole wheat flour as well! Just be sure to use the weight measurement when substituting.

What if I don't have white whole wheat flour?

If you don't have white whole wheat flour, you can use all purpose in its place. This is another collaboration recipe with my friend Hannah at Make It Dough! Hannah made this cake with all purpose to test it, and it's still delicious! If you are subbing to all purpose flour, be sure to use the weight measurement so replace the white whole wheat flour with 155 grams (1 1/4 cups) all purpose flour.

Do I have to pipe carrots?

You do not have to pipe carrots on this cake and it will still be equally delicious, and less work and time! If you’re not piping carrots, just add all the frosting onto the top of the cake and spread evenly.

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter
sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Craving More?

sourdough carrot snack cake, simple carrot cake for easter, carrot cake that uses butter

Sourdough Carrot Snack Cake

Mimi Council
This Sourdough Carrot Snack cake is a simple carrot cake for Easter! Moist, lightly spiced, cream cheese icing, and decorated with naturally colored carrots!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Makes 9 servings
Calories 529 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Batter

Frosting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or alternatively in hand mixer or bowl with whisk) add the carrots, melted butter, cane sugar, sourdough discard, eggs, and cream. Mix on low to combine.
  • In a separate bowl, add the white whole wheat flour, rye flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt and whisk together. Add to the carrot mixture and mix on low to combine.
  • Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pan.
  • To make the frosting: In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high and mix for 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
  • Reserve about ⅓ cup frosting, set aside.
  • Add the remaining frosting to the top of the cake and spread evenly.
  • With the ⅓ cup frosting that was set aside, divide into bowls of two thirds and one third.
  • Add a small pinch of green dye to the one third and stir to combine. If you want it darker you can add more. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #68.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the orange dye to the bowl with two thirds, stir to combine. If you want it darker orange, you can add more. Transfer to a piping bag with Ateco tip #6.
  • Using the orange frosting, pipe a line the size of the carrot you’d like to pipe and zig zag the frosting back and forth while making the line shorter each time so it creates a triangle.
  • Using the green frosting with the tip vertical (not horizontal as you’ll get a petal) pipe 2 to 3 small stems.
  • Continue adding carrots on the cake in a freeform way!

Notes

High Altitude – Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 5gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 380mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 2gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 850IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 1mg
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