Carrot and Almond Cake

Name: Carrot and Almond Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Carrots (already cleaned) 1.9 cups; Type 00 flour 1.67 cups; Almond flour 1 cup; Brown sugar 0.67 cup; Eggs medium 3; Sunflower seed oil 0.3 cup; Baking powder 3 &frac13; tsp; Cinnamon powder ½ tsp; Fine salt 1 pinch; Cream cheese 1 cup; Powdered sugar 4 ¼ cups; Butter 7 tbsp; Vanilla extract 1 tsp; Butter to taste; Almond slices 0.7 oz

Vegetarian

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 40 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Average
Note + cooling time

PRESENTATION

The American carrot cake and the Italian torta di carote share the same logic but land in different places. The American version is rich, layered, heavily frosted — a celebration cake. The Italian version is quieter: olive oil or seed oil instead of butter, almond flour for texture, no spice blend, no excess. This recipe sits between the two. The base is the Italian one — carrots, almond flour, seed oil — with cream cheese frosting added for filling and decoration, which brings it closer to something you'd serve for a birthday without losing the lightness that makes the Italian version worth making in the first place.

Almond flour does two things here: it keeps the crumb moist longer than all-purpose flour would, and it adds a subtle nuttiness that pairs naturally with carrot without competing with it. The cream cheese frosting is the bridge — familiar enough for an American palate, restrained enough not to overwhelm the cake beneath it. The color contrast between the orange crumb and the white frosting is the kind of thing that photographs well and requires no decoration beyond itself.

Discover other delicious carrot cake variations:

INGREDIENTS

For a 9-inch diameter pan: Carrots 1.9 cups (250 g) - (already cleaned); Type 00 flour 1.67 cups (200 g); Almond flour 1 cup (100 g); Brown sugar 0.67 cup (150 g); Eggs 3 - medium; Sunflower seed oil 0.3 cup (80 g); Baking powder 3 ⅓ tsp (16 g); Cinnamon powder ½ tsp; Fine salt 1 pinch

For the cream cheese frosting: Cream cheese 1 cup (220 g); Powdered sugar 4 ¼ cups (500 g); Butter 7 tbsp (100 g); Vanilla extract 1 tsp

For greasing the pan: Butter to taste

For garnish: Almond slices 0.7 oz (20 g)

Preparation

How to prepare Carrot and Almond Cake

To make the carrot and almond cake, first trim and peel the carrots, then chop them into chunks and place them in a blender 1. Blend to finely chop them 2, then transfer them to a bowl along with the eggs and brown sugar 3.

Mix everything together with a whisk 4, then add the seed oil and almond flour and mix again 5. Add the ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt 6.

Finally, sift the all-purpose flour and baking powder 7. Incorporate the dry ingredients with a spatula until you get a smooth, lump-free batter 8. Pour the batter into a 9-inch diameter pan that you have previously greased (alternatively, you can use parchment paper) 9. Bake in a static oven at 350°F for about 40 minutes.

Before removing the cake from the oven, check the doneness with a toothpick, then let it cool completely in the pan 10. Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting: work the cream cheese and butter in a bowl with a whisk 11, then add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar 12.

Mix well with a spatula 13. At this point, the cake should have cooled down, so remove it from the pan and transfer it to a serving plate. Cut the cake horizontally with a long serrated knife to create two layers 14. Spread the first layer with half of the frosting 15.

Cover with the other half of the cake and spread the remaining frosting on the surface 16. Finally, garnish with sliced almonds 17. Your carrot and almond cake is ready to be served 18!