Carrot cake is one of those cakes I rarely make, for obvious reasons : there’s no chocolate involved. With chocolate bags and bars overflowing my pantry it’s always easier to whip something up with this tempting ingredient. Somehow, after the Valentine’s Day chocolate coma I found myself baking more non-chocolate treats. How I end up with this moist eggless ricotta carrot cake is actually a funny story with a delicious end. The cake turned out so good I made it three times so far.
Few days ago, while browning though my Google reader I stumbled upon this ricotta scallion scones from Girl Versus Dough. Since Sargento ricotta cheese is a sample in my fridge I immediately rushed in the kitchen to make some for lunch. They turned out so good I’m seriously considering making them again this weekend.
While enjoying a scone I couldn’t stop thinking about carrot cake. Sometimes I’m surprised by the way my mind functions. With our weekly mom meeting the next day I didn’t have to wait long before whipping up a cake.
The inspiration came from Stephanie’s scone recipe, but I wanted it more cake-y than flake-y so I played around with the quantity of the ingredients and the baking pans : in a 11X9 baking pan, muffin pan and bundt pan. I didn’t cake much for the looks of the muffins. The one baked in the rectangle pan was easy to frost making it very close to the original carrot cake. The bundt version I kept it simple, dusting just some powder sugar on top of it.
Although it’s eggless, the cake is moist from the ricotta cheese and shredded carrots and slightly spiced from the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger. I didn’t add pineapple, raisins or nuts to the cake, I left it simple, with just the orange flecks from the carrots. I also added butter instead of oil, unlike the traditional carrot cake.
I’ve had in the past lots of carrot cakes but I have to say this version it’s going to stick around for quite a while.
If you want to make a layer carrot cake you’ll have to double the recipe and divide the batter between three 9 inch round pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Eggless ricotta carrot cake - moist from the ricotta cheese and shredded carrot with a spicy kick from the cinnamon, nutmeg and ground ginger - this cake is definitely a winner.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- pinch of ground ginger
- 5 tbsp cold butter, diced
- 2/3 cup Sargento whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup shredded raw carrots
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a bundt pan with butter and sprinkle with flour. Dust off the flour excess.
- In a food processor add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Pulse to mix.
- Now add the diced butter and pulse few times until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the ricotta cheese, milk and carrots and pulse to combine.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in preheated oven for about 33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and leave for few minutes in the pan before turning it on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powder sugar.
- Slice and enjoy!
If you like this ricotta carrot cake you may also like :
Ricotta tart with figs and honey
Chocolate and orange ricotta cookies
Ricotta carrot cake whoopie pies from Buttercream and chantily factory
Baked carrot cake donuts from Diethood
Carrot cake pops from Crazy from crust
Sending love your way,
Roxana
*This post is sponsored by Sargento. Opinions are and always will be mine.
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m so glad you liked the scones! I think putting ricotta in baked goods is my new favorite thing.
This cake looks scrumptious!
I love carrot cake! I wish I had a slice right now, so pretty with that dusting of sugar!
Whoa … Looks amazingly moist and delicious!
Roxana! I love you for this. It’s gorgeous, and I am ALWAYS on the lookout for new carrot cake recipes. It’s one of the only sweets my husband can’t resist!
I love carrot cake and this sounds amazing!!! PINNED.
Mmm, this bundt looks yummy. Your photos have me craving a big ol’ piece.
This cake looks absolutely gorgeous. My boyfriend LOVES carrot cake so I might just have to try this! And there is ricotta in it! I have never baked with ricotta before.The chocolate orange ricotta cookies sound scrumptious as well
Yummy! It looks so moist!
What a great recipe! I love that you used ricotta instead of eggs (well, basically that’s what you did!) and I would so love to taste the difference. The texture is perfect! I love – no, WE love this kind of cake for both breakfast and snack. I may have to try it!
Lawd, I just want to pick up the entire cake and sink my teeth into it!! Is that wrong? Barbaric? Who cares! I want that cake!!
Thank you for sharing my doughnuts, sweetheart!!! Those things were ahhhh-mazing!
Gorgeous cake, Roxana! Love that it’s eggless!
Hi Roxana, I would love to make this cake this weekend, but I have two questions: First, I don’t have a food processor, is there any other way to make the crumbs? A fork I suppose. Second, is it vitally important that I use whole milk? I don’t use whole milk for anything. Thanks so much. I love your blog and the gorgeous pictures!
Hi Michele,
If you don’t have a food processor you can use a pastry blender, two knifes or even a fork or use the old method of rubbing butter and flour with your fingers.
After the butter and dry ingredients are mixed, you can use a simple whisk to combine the rest of the ingredients.
You can use skim or fat free milk as well. I used whole milk since that was what I had in the fridge
If you have other questions, don’t hesitate to ask.
Roxana
Thank you so much! I made it on Saturday afternoon and my family loved it! It will definitely be going into my recipe file. Yummy!
These look great, so moist and soft and very yummy!
What a beautiful cake! BTW – I really like what you have done to your site = looks great!
Pretty, pretty pictures! I love carrot cake and I’ve had it on my mind to make one–now the craving is even bigger than ever.
Looks delicious and if you’ve already made it 3 times, I trust that it’s wonderful!
This is absolutely my kind of cake…love everything about it, Roxana!!!
This is a lovely bundt, Roxy. Ricotta adds such fantastic moistness to baking. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Super with the carrots and spice.
Love this recipe, will definitely have to try it for my daughters. Love the use of carrots in either sweet or salted recipes. Recently I used carrots in my homemade bread.
Beautiful bundt cake, Roxana! I love that you kept it neat and simple.
I find ricotta a wonderful ingredient for cakes. To mix it with carrots is the perfect idea Roxana, love this recipe! And the fact that you developed it after some scones makes it even better. I like your new look by the way!
Such a pretty cake and perfect for spring!
Carrot cake is one that I just can’t resist. I am loving the addition of ricotta in this cake! Love the simplicity of just the powdered sugar on top…it is gorgeous!!!
Ricotta and carrots?! Love everything about this cake. And yes, carrot cake doesn’t have chocolate but it is pretty amazing if you have the right recipe. And it looks like you’ve found one!
Hi! Just pinned this. Looks fantastic and cannot wait to try it!
lovely recipe.. I wish to try it; however I have a feeling that my bundt pan may be bigger than this one, or did you use a standard one and it only rose that high? Thank you!
Hi Hilda,
I think my pan it’s 12 or 15 cups. I’ll have to check if you want to know for sure.
Roxana
i believe my bundt pan is for 12 cups so I think we will be ok. i will try this, this weekend
thank you kindly!
I made this yesterday ; it came out very well.. Nice, light and great kick with the spices
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