Amazing easter dessert recipe, filled with white chocolate pudding and topped with cream cheese frosting. This dessert boasts a crispy and delicious taste that you’ll never be able to get enough of.
Carrot cake poke cake is a very simple and easy to prepare recipe. This homemade recipe is super flavourful and moist, and is one of the best cakes you’ll ever taste.This recipe is a must-try.
Total prep time: 45 minutes
Yield: 16 servings.
INGREDIENTS :
For Carrot Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups freshly grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For filling:
- 6.8 oz. box white chocolate instant pudding mix
- 4 cups milk
- For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 oz. cream cheese- softened
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter-softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Salt, to taste
DIRECTIONS :
For the carrot cake:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the glass dish. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl and set it aside.
- Step 2: Add oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar and brown sugar in a bowl, mix together until it is combined. Then add flour mixture to it and mix properly till it is hom*ogenous.
- Step 3: Fold the grated carrots and pecans and spread the cake batter into the greased dish. Leave it to bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Step 4: Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes and poke holes less than 1 inch apart all over the cake using a wooden spoon. Then whisk the instant pudding mix and 4 cups of milk together until there are no lumps.
- Step 5: Pour the pudding over the cake and into the holes, then smoothen the top of the cake and place in the fridge until the cake is cooled completely.
For the frosting:
- Step 6: Beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and dash of salt well until it is smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually into the mixture, beat on high speed for about 2-3 minutes.
- Step 7: Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and put back in the fridge for 30-45 minutes before serving. You can store for up to 5 days.
Tips:
In making the cake, you can use walnuts instead of chopped pecans
Ingredients
- For Carrot Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups freshly grated carrots
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- For filling:
- 6.8 oz. box white chocolate instant pudding mix
- 4 cups milk
- For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 6 oz. cream cheese- softened
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter-softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
For the carrot cake:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the glass dish. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl and set it aside.
Step 2: Add oil, eggs, vanilla, sugar and brown sugar in a bowl, mix together until it is combined. Then add flour mixture to it and mix properly till it is hom*ogenous.
Step 3: Fold the grated carrots and pecans and spread the cake batter into the greased dish. Leave it to bake for about 40-50 minutes, or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 4: Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes and poke holes less than 1 inch apart all over the cake using a wooden spoon. Then whisk the instant pudding mix and 4 cups of milk together until there are no lumps.
Step 5: Pour the pudding over the cake and into the holes, then smoothen the top of the cake and place in the fridge until the cake is cooled completely.
For the frosting:
Step 6: Beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and dash of salt well until it is smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually into the mixture, beat on high speed for about 2-3 minutes.
Step 7: Spread the frosting on the cooled cake and put back in the fridge for 30-45 minutes before serving. You can store for up to 5 days.
FAQs
This can happen when you pour too much liquid into the holes of your cake. This can occur when the holes are less than an inch apart from each other and this is why instant pudding is such a game-changer — its thick consistency won't drench the cake sponge too quickly, resulting in a soggy mess.
Why do you use oil instead of butter in carrot cake? ›
Butter is only 70-80% fat and the rest is water and butter solids. Using oil in cakes reduces the amount of water in the mixture and can mean a moister cake with a tender crumb.
Why is my carrot cake soggy in the middle? ›
When a cake is wet in the middle it is because the edges have cooked faster than the centre. This happens because of the way the cake cooks naturally in the tin – the sides of the cake tin heat up first.
Why is my carrot cake too moist? ›
Why is my carrot cake too moist? Keep the extra nuts and, god forbid, coconut out of things, and definitely don't add pineapple—it'll make the batter too moist. Carrot cake is oil-based, rather than butter-based. This keeps it moist and helps it last for days.
What is the best way to poke holes in a poke cake? ›
Poke-and-pour cake (also called poke cake) is a cake recipe that calls for holes to be poked in it after baking, usually with the handle of a wooden spoon or a wooden skewer. Then a liquid is poured over the baked cake to soak into the cake holes.
How do you keep a cake super moist? ›
Seven Bakery Secrets to Incredibly Moist Cakes Every Time
- Use Buttermilk Instead of Milk.
- Add Vegetable Oil.
- Use Instant Clearjel or Instant Pudding Mix.
- Use the Right Recipe.
- Don't Overbake.
- Bake in Sheet Pans Instead of individual Cake Pans.
- Use a Simple Syrup or Glaze.
It's true that carrots are the star of the show, but aim for finely grated pieces rather than chunky. The finer you grate the carrots, the more evenly they will be distributed throughout the cake (for the perfect texture), and the more evenly the cake and the carrots will bake.
Does a carrot cake need to be refrigerated? ›
Even when the cake is baked, bacteria can still grow, so everything still needs to be refrigerated to prevent spoilage and foodborne illness. Carrot cake and frosting are also easier to tame when they're cold, so unless it's time to serve up some slices, keep your cake in the fridge.
Why does carrot cake taste weird? ›
There are a few reasons why your carrot cake might taste bitter. Too much baking soda: Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps to make cakes rise. However, too much baking soda can give a cake a bitter taste. If you are using a recipe that calls for baking soda, be sure to measure it carefully.
Why does my carrot cake not taste like carrot? ›
The key to getting an intense carrot flavor in my cake is using two types of carrots: a caramelized carrot puree and finely shredded carrots. Roasted and pureed carrots make this cake intensely carrot flavored. Carrots are a natural source of sugar, and roasting them at a high temperature caramelizes the sugars within.
Return it to the oven: If the cake is only slightly undercooked, you can return it to the oven to finish baking. Preheat the oven to the temperature specified in the recipe and bake the cake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Is carrot cake better with pecans or walnuts? ›
Pecans are the Southern choice, but walnuts are delicious, too. Whichever you use, make sure to toast the nuts before adding them into the batter to maximize their flavor. Flour: All-purpose flour provides the right texture and density. Baking soda: This leavener helps the cake layers to rise into a fluffy cake.
Why does my carrot cake fall apart when I cut it? ›
Yes, the carrots, but also typical extras like raisins, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut, which enhance the flavor and texture of the final result, add to the problem of cleanly lopping off a piece. For example, raisins create uneven pockets of moisture within the cake, causing slices to crumble more easily.
Is carrot cake better the next day? ›
Carrot cake usually tastes better the next day, so it's a great recipe to make ahead of time. Simply keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
What to do if your cake has a soggy bottom? ›
There are a few things you can do to fix a soggy bottom cake:
- Use parchment paper. ...
- Grease the pan well. ...
- Use a lower oven temperature. ...
- Don't overbake the cake. ...
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Under baking: If the cake is not baked fully, the center and bottom may remain moist and under cooked. Make sure to follow the recommended baking time and insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake to check for doneness. If it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, the cake is properly baked.
Why is my vegan cake soggy? ›
You could try different ones or try reducing the water and/or oil content a little. If you're adding things like fruit to the batter it can release juices during baking that can make cakes soggy. I usually reduce my water and oil content a little when I bake these types of cakes.
