Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Easy Brazilian Chocolate Carrot Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
10 minutes
35 minutes
50 minutes
Serves:
One 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) cake, about 12 servings
An easier take on Maria's Brazilian Chocolate Carrot Cake from MasterChef ™ 16. The whole batter is made in the blender — flour, baking powder and salt pulsed straight into the carrot mixture — so there is no sifting, no second bowl and no folding, and the brigadeiro topping is made in the microwave...
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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), plus a pinch for the topping
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)
Chocolate sprinkles (granulado), to finish — optional
EQUIPMENT:
Blender 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan Baking parchment Microwave-safe bowl
Method
STEP 1: HEAT THE OVEN AND LINE THE PAN
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with baking parchment, letting it come up the sides so the cake lifts straight out later.
STEP 2: BLEND THE BATTER
Put the carrots, eggs, oil and sugar in a blender and blend until completely smooth, about a minute. Blending rather than grating is the whole point: it pulverises the carrots into the liquid and gives the cake its signature sunny yellow-orange crumb. Add the flour, baking powder and ½ tsp fine salt straight into the blender jug and pulse in short bursts, scraping down once, just until no dry streaks remain. Stop as soon as it comes together — long blending toughens the crumb.
STEP 3: BAKE
Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until risen, golden and a thin knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes; it should still be warm when the topping goes on.
STEP 4: MAKE THE TOPPING AND FINISH
While the cake cools, put the condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter and a pinch of salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in three 40-second bursts, stirring well between each, until thickened, glossy and just pourable. Pour the warm chocolate over the warm cake and spread to the edges, scatter with chocolate sprinkles if using, and leave to set for 20 minutes 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), plus a pinch for the topping
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING (BRIGADEIRO CALDA):
Sweetened condensed milk — 1 can (14 oz / 397 g)
Unsweetened cocoa powder (/interesting-ingredients/unsweetened-cocoa-powder)— 4 tbsp (24 g)
Unsalted butter — 2 tbsp (28 g)
Chocolate sprinkles (/interesting-ingredients/valrhona-dark-chocolate-chips)(granulado), to finish — optional
EQUIPMENT:
Blender
(/cooking-equipment/blender)9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan
Baking parchment
Microwave-safe bowl
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: HEAT THE OVEN AND LINE THE PAN
Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with baking parchment, letting it come up the sides so the cake lifts straight out later.
STEP 2: BLEND THE BATTER
Put the carrots, eggs, oil and sugar in a blender and blend until completely smooth, about a minute. Blending rather than grating is the whole point: it pulverises the carrots into the liquid and gives the cake its signature sunny yellow-orange crumb. Add the flour, baking powder and ½ tsp fine salt straight into the blender jug and pulse in short bursts, scraping down once, just until no dry streaks remain. Stop as soon as it comes together — long blending toughens the crumb.
STEP 3: BAKE
Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 30–35 minutes, until risen, golden and a thin knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes; it should still be warm when the topping goes on.
STEP 4: MAKE THE TOPPING AND FINISH
While the cake cools, put the condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter and a pinch of salt in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in three 40-second bursts, stirring well between each, until thickened, glossy and just pourable. Pour the warm chocolate over the warm cake and spread to the edges, scatter with chocolate sprinkles if using, and leave to set for 20 minutes before slicing.
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