It’s almost Easter week which means I’ll be eating my vegetables in cake form. More specifically, carrot cake form! It’s one of my favorites and this year I wanted to add a fun spin. I started thinking what flavors would pair well and decided to add a homemade caramel sauce. Let me tell you, as someone who usually only has a bite of dessert, I ate two whole pieces. It’s seriously that good! Making this in a sheet pan avoids layering which can be daunting. The frosting is made with 4 ingredients and is silky smooth. The final step of homemade caramel really makes this next level. I explain in detail the process below and although it seems complicated, it’s really just an extra 10 minutes and you will have the perfect caramel sauce!
TIPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE CARAMEL
- This recipe is super easy, the only thing that you need to watch is not to burn the sugar. When I make this recipe, I plant myself by the stove and stir constantly until it starts to turn amber. Depending on the heat and pan, this can take anywhere between 5-10 minutes. The deeper color you let the caramel get, the richer the caramel will be. Once all of the sugar melts and it gets that deep amber color, stir in the butter.
- When you stir in the cream and the butter the mixture will bubble and steam. This may seem obvious, but DO NOT stick your finger in the hot caramel sauce. Be careful because this mixture is super hot.
- If you want to use the leftover caramel to fill a cupcake or cookie, let it cool completely in the refrigerator. This will make it a thicker consistency, easy to spread and fill your treats. If you want to pour it over ice cream heat it up in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and wha-la, it’s back to the perfect drizzle consistency!
Other recipe tips:
Pan: This recipe makes a nice thick cake in a 9×13 baking dish. Make sure you use a metal pan as the cake will bake up more evenly! I think this one as it comes with a lid which makes it easy for transport!
Frosting tips: Sometimes cream cheese frosting can be lumpy and I’ve found the best way to avoid that is to ensure the butter and cream cheese are both room temperature. I beat those two together for 2-3 minutes until smooth, otherwise you will end up with chunks not evenly distributed. Because the frosting has cream cheese I store this cake in the refrigerator.
Carrots: Do not use pre shredded carrots! you want to buy the big carrots and shred them. I like to use a small grater so they are very thin and basically blend into the cake when baked, but use whatever size you’d like! The recipe calls for 3 cups of shredded carrots which is about 5-6 medium carrots.
This Caramel Carrot Sheet Cake is super moist, packed with carrot and cinnamon flavor and topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and buttery caramel sauce. It’s easy to transport in the pan and perfect to feed a crowd this Easter weekend! if you end up trying the recipe, please leave a rating and review below! If you’re looking for more sheet cake recipes, click here!
Caramel Carrot Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3 cups thinly grated carrots about 5-6 medium sized carrots
For the caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 5 tbsp salted butter room temperature
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the frosting:
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature
- 8 oz full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350° and spray a 9×13 inch metal baking pan with nonstick baking spray. In a large bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, both granulated and light brown sugars, vanilla and eggs until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the shredded carrots. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until baked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
For the caramel:
- Add the sugar to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. The sugar will look normal for the first few minutes, whisk occasionally. It will start to clump and melt, turning a deep amber color. Stir continuously until all of the sugar is dissolved. Once melted, stir in butter, one tablespoon at a time. After the butter melts completely, slowly drizzle in room temperature heavy cream, about 2 until completely combined. The mixture will bubble and steam up each time you add the heavy cream so be careful! Remove the caramel from heat and stir in the salt. Allow to cool to room temperature before using. Store for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and cream cheese on medium high speed until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
For assembly:
- Once the cake has completely cooled, top with cream cheese frosting. Drizzle on about ½ – ¾ cup of the room temperature caramel. Use a spatula or spoon to swirl into the frosting. Refrigerate until serving and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Meggie
Insanely delicious and so easy to make! That caramel is soo good! Thank you
Emily
So happy you liked it! 🙂