Carrot Coffee Cake

5 from 1 vote

Carrot coffee cake is a moist cake topped with a buttery brown sugar pistachio crumb streusel baked on top. It's perfect with coffee for breakfast, brunch or an afternoon snack!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: pieces

Calories: 245kcal

Author: Natalie

Equipment

Ingredients

Crumb Topping

¼ cup chopped pistachios use raw or roasted shelled pistachios
½ cup light brown sugar packed
½ cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unsalted butter melted

Carrot Coffee Cake

⅓ cup oil Use pure olive oil, canola, vegetable oil or avocado oil or use a half or all neutral oil and half extra virgin olive oil
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg room temperature
⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
1½ cups finely grated carrots about 2-3 medium carrots
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom optional
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup halva optional, see recipe notes below

Cream Cheese Icing (optional)

2 ounces cream cheese room temperature
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or up to 1½ tablespoons, til desired consistency
1 pinch salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Crumb Topping

In a small bowl, mix together all of the streusel ingredients with a fork til crumbly and combined. Place crumble in the fridge while you prepare the batter.

Carrot Coffee Cake

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Grease an 8X8 inch square pan. Line it with parchment paper leaving an overhang on two sides to make it easier to remove once baked.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, use a spatula to stir together the sugars, egg, olive oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, and finely shredded carrots until creamy and combined.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula. Stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
(If you're adding the opotional ingredient-halva, please see recipe notes below about how to add it). If you're not using halva, continue to the next step.
Pour the batter into the pan. Use a spatula or offset spatula to spread it.
Remove crumble from the refrigerator. Use a fork to break up the crumble if needed. Spread crumble evenly over the batter.
Bake 38-42 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs when inserted in the middle of the cake.
Place pan on a cooling rack. Allow cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes then use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake out of the pan. Enjoy as is, or drizzled with cream cheese icing or dusted with powdered sugar.

Cream Cheese Icing (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, mix the powdered sugar and cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed. Turn the mixer up to medium low and beat til creamy. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt then add the milk about 1/2 tablespoon at a time til icing is thick but pourable.

Video

Notes

Pan: For best results, I recommend an 8 by 8 inch light colored square pan.

Oil keeps this cake incredibly moist. Use a mild oil such as pure olive oil, canola, or avocado oil. Extra virgin olive oil works too but its flavor comes through so avoid grassy or bold types. For a more neutral flavor with EVOO, use half EVOO and half canola or avocado oil.

Use full fat plain yogurt instead of sour cream.

This cake is delicious as is or drizzled with icing or dusted with powdered sugar. Allow to cool slightly before adding any topping.

Use pecans, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts in place of pistachios.

Use brick style, full fat cream cheese. Make sure the cream cheese is room temperature or else the icing will likely have lumps in it. If you're making the icing without a mixer, make sure the cream cheese is very soft and use a whisk to mix it.

To make this cake extra bright and fresh tasting, add a little lemon or orange zest to the icing!

Halva (optional): You can find halva in the Middle Eastern section of most grocery stores, in Middle Eastern stores or online. Halva is a Middle Eastern candy made from tahini and sugar. It's sweet and has a delicious tahini flavor! Spread half the batter in the pan. Sprinkle a little halva (about 1/4 cup) on top before adding the rest of the batter. You can also sprinkle a little on when you pull the cake out of the oven or after you drizzle it with icing!

Store unfrosted carrot coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. If it has cream cheese icing on top, store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, tightly wrap the cooled, unfrosted cake in plastic wrap then a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months.

Nutrition