Carrot Teff Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Classic spiced carrot cake, made with toasty teff flour, coconut, apple sauce, and walnuts.

Clockwise from top left: Carrot cake in cupcake form at Manufactory; slice of cake; cake layer cooling; Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and decorated with garden roses; my Carrot cake on the 25th anniversary cover of Saveur Magazine, 2020

I wouldn’t call this a quick cake to make, but I would say that it’s very worth the time and the longer ingredients list. A celebration cake, which is apt because in the US and all over Europe, carrot cakes are common birthday cakes.

I chose the Ethiopian grain teff for this cake because of it’s naturally nutty flavor and moisture-holding properties. I love injera, the fermented batter made of teff that they make the traditional flatbreads with, and was always looking for a way to incorporate the grain into a baked good.

This cake is a best-seller at Tartine, has appeared in the NY Times and on the 25th anniversary cover of Saveur magazine—huge honors for me! Eagle-eyed bakers may notice that the recipe varies slightly according to which source you have previously seen the recipe on. It’s not an error - I just constantly fiddle with recipes. The one below is how it appears in the Times and Saveur (can’t argue with those two!), with the minor change of replacing the oat flour and rice flour with just one measurement of GF flour. The recipe for cream cheese frosting follows the cake recipe.

RECIPE

Yields two 9-inch cake layers

Cake layers:

• 200g / 1 C sugar

• 3 eggs, large

• 140g / 1 C coconut sugar
• 125g / 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 455g / 1 pound carrots, peeled and grated
• 236 ml / 1 C coconut oil, olive oil, or melted butter
• juice of 1 lemon
• 170g / 1 1/4 C teff flour
• 130g / 1 C GF flour
• 2 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 45g / 1/2 C unsweetened shredded coconut
• 180g / 1 1/2 C lightly toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºf.

Grease the two 9-inch cake pans, and line each with parchment paper.

Using a handheld or stand mixer, whip the sugar and eggs until thick and light in color, about 4 minutes on medium high until it falls back onto itself in a thick ribbon. Add the coconut sugar, applesauce, carrots, coconut oil (or olive oil or melted butter), and lemon juice and mix well to incorporate.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the teff flour, GF flour, spices, baking soda and salt and sift. Add to the egg mixture, using a rubber spatula to fold just until combined. Gently fold in the coconut and walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake until a cake tester comes out clean 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the pan and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Cake layers may be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen before frosting. Fully defrost before frosting the cake.

Frosting:

• 225g / 8 ounces / 1 C cream cheese, room temperature
• 85g / 6 Tbs unsalted butter at cool room temperature
• 360g / 3 C confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Using a handheld or stand mixer (with paddle attachment), beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until fluffy and light, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice (hold back 2 teaspoons to see if frosting is thick enough; add more if desired), and salt and mix until smooth.

Place one cooled cake on a serving platter. Spread about half of the frosting evenly over the cake layer, place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining frosting. Decorate with clean, seasonal flowers, or leave plain and smooth with a palette knife.

Will store, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.