This carrot Bundt cake takes a slower route than a typical carrot cake. Yeast gives the dough time to rise, while finely grated carrots, citrus zest and vanilla bring color and fragrance. A dusting of powdered sugar keeps the finish simple.
Allow time for both rests: first for the yeast mixture to become active, then for the dough to rise in the pan. The second rise is ready when the dough has doubled in size, so watch the dough rather than relying only on the clock.
A carrot cake for the tea table
With butter, milk and eggs in the dough, this is a yeast-raised cake to slice and serve with tea. There is no frosting to make; let the cake cool before adding powdered sugar, and serve with a little butter if you like.
Before you begin
Finely grate the carrots so they mix evenly into the dough. Use warm milk, not hot, and take the sugar and flour for the yeast mixture from the measured recipe totals. Prepare the citrus zest before mixing, grating only the colored outer peel.
Olga Kindel
Carrot Bundt Cake
A yeast-raised carrot Bundt cake with citrus zest, vanilla and a powdered sugar finish. Makes 10 servings.
90 g (3.2 oz; about 6 tbsp plus 1 tsp) butter, softened
150 g (5.3 oz; about 1 1/3 cups) finely grated carrots
15 g (0.5 oz) fresh yeast or 1 tsp instant dry yeast
130 mL (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tsp) warm milk
2 eggs
120 g (about 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp and 2 tsp) granulated sugar, divided
350 g (about 2 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour, divided
Zest of 1 mandarin or orange
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/3 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for greasing the Bundt pan
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment
Standard Bundt pan
Method
Activate the yeast. Combine the warm (not hot) milk with the yeast, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp flour, taking the sugar and flour from the measured recipe totals. Cover and leave in a warm place for 20–30 minutes, until the mixture looks bubbly.
Prepare the remaining ingredients. Finely grate the carrots and zest the mandarin or orange and half a lemon. Have the softened butter, eggs, remaining sugar and flour, salt and vanilla ready. Brush the inside of the Bundt pan with vegetable oil, including the center tube and grooves.
Mix the dough. In a large bowl, mix the softened butter with the remaining sugar, then mix in the eggs, vanilla and citrus zest. Add the grated carrots and the yeast mixture. Gradually mix in the remaining flour and salt until evenly combined and no dry flour remains.
Fill the pan and let rise. Transfer the dough to the greased Bundt pan and spread it evenly around the center tube. Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Allow enough room in the pan for the dough to expand.
Bake and serve. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Remove the cover and bake for about 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean. Let the cake cool enough to release from the pan, turn it out carefully and let it cool before dusting with powdered sugar. Slice and serve with tea and a little butter, if desired.
A simple powdered sugar finishThe cake and its Bundt panA closer look at the crumbReady for the tea tableServe on a platter and slice into 10 portionsFrom my kitchen · original recipe notes
🥕 Carrot Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
90g Butter, softened
150g carrots, finely grated
15g of fresh yeast or 1 tsp of dry yeast
130ml warm milk
2 eggs
120g sugar
350g all purpose flour
1 mandarin or orange zest
1/2 lemon zest
1/3tsp salt
1tsp vanilla extract
Vegetable oil to brush baking mold
Powdered sugar for decorating
Combine milk, yeast, 2tbsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of flour. Cover and let it sit for 20-30 minutes at a warm place.
Meanwhile prepare other ingredients.
Combine all together, add yeast mixture. Whisk all together.
Pour the dough into a bundt cake pan. Cover and let it sit in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 40 minutes. Check if it’s done with a toothpick.
Let it cool and decorate with powdered sugar. Enjoy with some butter and a cup of tea
