Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Brazilian Chocolate Carrot Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour 15 minutes
Serves:
One 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) cake, about 12 servings
Maria created this dish for MasterChef ™ Season 16. Her bolo de cenoura is a faithful reading of the beloved Brazilian everyday cake, where raw carrots are blended smooth into the batter to bake up a sunny yellow-orange crumb rather than brown. A glossy brigadeiro-style chocolate topping poured over...
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Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE: Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped — 3 medium (~2 cups / ~250 g) Large eggs — 4 Neutral oil (sunflower or vegetable) — 1 cup (240 ml) Granulated sugar — 2 cups (400 g) All-purpose flour — 2¼ cups (280 g) Baking powder — 1 tbsp (12 g) Fine salt — ½ tsp (3 g)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING (BRIGADEIRO CALDA): Sweetened condensed milk — 1 can (14 oz / 397 g) Unsweetened cocoa powder — 4 tbsp (24 g) Unsalted butter — 2 tbsp (28 g) Pinch of salt Whole milk (to loosen, optional) — 2 tbsp (30 ml) Chocolate sprinkles (granulado), to finish — optional
EQUIPMENT: Blender or food processor 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan Mixing bowl Sieve Medium heavy saucepan Whisk Flexible spatula Skewer or cake tester
Method
STEP 1: HEAT THE OVEN AND PREP THE PAN
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan.
STEP 2: BLEND THE BATTER
Combine the chopped carrots, eggs, oil and sugar in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Blending rather than grating is the whole point: it pulverises the carrots into the liquid and gives the finished cake its signature yellow crumb.
STEP 3: FOLD IN THE DRY INGREDIENTS
Tip the blended mixture into a bowl. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Don’t overmix, or the crumb tightens.
STEP 4: BAKE
Pour into the prepared pan and bake 35–40 minutes, until risen, golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
STEP 5: MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING
While the cake cools, whisk the condensed milk, cocoa, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for 5–8 minutes until thickened and glossy. For a pourable calda, whisk in the milk; for a fudgier top that sets firm, leave it out and cook a minute longer.
STEP 6: TOP AND SET
Pour the warm chocolate over the slightly warm cake, spreading to the edges. Scatter with chocolate sprinkles if using, and let it set before slicing.
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Instructions
FOR THE CAKE:
Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped — 3 medium (~2 cups / ~250 g)
Large eggs — 4
Neutral oil (sunflower or vegetable) — 1 cup (240 ml)
Granulated sugar — 2 cups (400 g)
All-purpose flour — 2¼ cups (280 g)
Baking powder — 1 tbsp (12 g)
Fine salt — ½ tsp (3 g)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING (BRIGADEIRO CALDA):
Sweetened condensed milk — 1 can (14 oz / 397 g)
Unsweetened cocoa powder — 4 tbsp (24 g)
Unsalted butter — 2 tbsp (28 g)
Pinch of salt
Whole milk (to loosen, optional) — 2 tbsp (30 ml)
Chocolate sprinkles (granulado), to finish — optional
EQUIPMENT:
Blender or food processor
9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
Mixing bowl
Sieve
Medium heavy saucepan
Whisk
Flexible spatula
Skewer or cake tester
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: HEAT THE OVEN AND PREP THE PAN
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan.
STEP 2: BLEND THE BATTER
Combine the chopped carrots, eggs, oil and sugar in a blender and blend until completely smooth. Blending rather than grating is the whole point: it pulverises the carrots into the liquid and gives the finished cake its signature yellow crumb.
STEP 3: FOLD IN THE DRY INGREDIENTS
Tip the blended mixture into a bowl. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt, and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Don’t overmix, or the crumb tightens.
STEP 4: BAKE
Pour into the prepared pan and bake 35–40 minutes, until risen, golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
STEP 5: MAKE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING
While the cake cools, whisk the condensed milk, cocoa, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for 5–8 minutes until thickened and glossy. For a pourable calda, whisk in the milk; for a fudgier top that sets firm, leave it out and cook a minute longer.
STEP 6: TOP AND SET
Pour the warm chocolate over the slightly warm cake, spreading to the edges. Scatter with chocolate sprinkles if using, and let it set before slicing.
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