Decadent Carrot Cake with Goat Cheese Frosting

SCRAPS #23: a goat cheese dessert to satisfy my three month old craving

Have you ever ordered something at a restaurant that tasted nothing like what was described on the menu?

You leave unsatisfied, a little deceived, and ripped off. Something we don’t talk enough about is the craving you’re left with. I still want to know what the dish I was expecting tastes like! That’s how this recipe came about.

Whenever I order a goat cheese dessert, it always disappoints: I never taste the goat cheese. This summer my mouth started watering when I saw vanilla goat cheese ice cream on a restaurant menu. What a letdown! You couldn’t pay me to guess it was made with goat milk. A few weeks ago I ordered a cake topped with goat cheese whipped cream. Again, not a single hint of goat cheese.

Not this recipe! I had to take the matter into my own hands and satisfy my goat cheese dessert craving that hadn’t left my life in months. A carrot cake felt like the right pairing for this delicious frosting. This sweet, moist, spiced, tender carrot cake is topped with a silky, creamy, rich, and tangy goat cheese frosting that actually tastes like goat cheese. I know some of you might raise an eyebrow when you hear this combo, but trust me, it works!

And for the goat cheese haters out there, no worries. Substitute the goat cheese with cream cheese, and you can still enjoy this delicious recipe. If this recipe isn’t doing it for you, I linked other recipes I made this week you might enjoy!

Linked Weekly Recipe Recap:

• caramel apple pie cheesecake cups — I was planning to gift these to my neighbors, but they were so delicious, I couldn’t split ways with them, lol;

• pantry carbonara — this ones a good one, it made some folks mad, since they skipped reading the caption of the video where I specify “this is NOT a traditional carbonara”, it’s a carbonara-inspired dish. The egg and cheese sauce screams “carbonara”, but instead of the the traditional Guanciale, the recipe uses pantry staples like garlic, chile flakes, and shallots.

• caramelized onion salt — this one’s a special one; think flavorful, sweet and umami caramelized onion, in a sprinklable form. If you have the time, give it a go;

• spicy egg and cheese bagel sandwich — tired of the good old egg and cheese bagel combo? Spice things up with this homemade gochujang cream cheese;

• roasted squash caprese salad — this one is a dinner party favorite of mine, caprese salads don’t need to vanish after August, use squash instead of heirloom tomatoes for a fun, delicious, fall alternative.

Your turn! Comment down below what was the last thing you ordered at a restaurant that tasted nothing like you expected it to be? Good or bad!

Wishing you a lovely week, I hope you’re well!

Carolina

RECIPE

Printable recipe down below:

CarrotCakeGoatCheeseFrosting

76.7KB ∙ PDF file

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Makes a 9-inch cake, 8 to 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Chill Time: 30 to 60 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

CARROT CAKE

• 170 g (1 1/2 sticks) butter

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 150 g (3/4 cup) brown sugar

• 100 g (1/2 cup) white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar

• 3 to 4 medium (about 250 g or about 2 cups packed) carrots, coarsely grated

• 3 large eggs

• 60 g (1/2 cup) walnuts or pecans, chopped, optional

• 175 g (1 2/3 cups) rolled oats

• 150 g (1 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

GOAT CHEESE FROSTING

• 227 g goat cheese, room temperature

• 135 g cream cheese, room temperature

• 112 g (about 1 cup) powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Heat the oven to 350°F or 175°C. Grease a 9-inch (22-cm) square or round tin with oil or butter, and line it with parchment paper.

2. Add the butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes. At first, the butter will foam up, and eventually brown a minute or two later. You’ll know the butter is ready once it reaches a golden amber color. Pour the butter in a large mixing bowl. 

3. Add the cinnamon, brown sugar, white sugar, kosher salt, vanilla extract, lemon juice or vinegar, and carrots to the bowl. Mix until combined.

4. Add the eggs, walnuts, and oats. Mix using a wooden spoon or spatula until combined.

5. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Toss the baking powder and baking soda in the flour, using your fingers or a whisk. Mix the batter using a wooden spoon or spatula, until there are no more dry flour spots.

6. Pour the batter the lined baking tin. Bake the carrot cake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown on top. I like to gently tap the middle of the cake, if it’s still wobbly, give it a few more minutes in the oven.

7. Set the carrot cake aside to cool.

8. To make the frosting, combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, a small pinch of salt, and sugar in a bowl. Mix using a hand whisk, an electric or stand mixer, until smooth. 

9. Frost the cooled cake, and serve. 

10. Store in the fridge, and bring to room temperature before serving.