Caramel Apple Carrot Cake
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
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This caramel apple carrot cake blends fresh shredded carrot and apple with warm spices and silky caramel for a moist, crowd-pleasing Easter dessert that’s perfect for spring baking, holiday brunches, and anyone craving a fresh twist on classic carrot cake.
This recipe came out of necessity of not knowing what to do with my juicer pulp after making yet another weekly batch of my favorite morning detox drink, ABC Juice (apples, beets, carrots). I've grown accustomed to dehydrating the beet pulp to make an all natural food coloring, but that always left me wondering what to do with the carrot and apple pulp! I've done muffins and apple loaves before, but with Easter right around the corner, a cake just seemed so much more fitting. This Caramel Apple Carrot cake is not only zero waste, but it is also super moist and decadent perfectly paired with maple cream cheese frosting and caramel sauce to top it all off. Keep reading to learn how to make this beautiful cake!
Ingredients & Substitutions
For a full list of ingredients, check out the full recipe card at the bottom of this page!
Carrot and Apple Pulp
Pulp is the left over bits from cold press juicing fruits and vegetables. Once a week I make a giant batch of freshly squeezed juice with carrots and apples being one of my favorite pairings! No worries if you don't have access to carrot and apple pulp, you can just grate a few carrots and apples instead. If You are allergic to apples, try my Cinnamon Spiced Carrot Cake instead!
All Purpose Flour
I use all purpose flour in this recipe. I haven't experimented enough with gluten free flours but if you try it in this recipe or could share some pointers, I'd love to hear them in the comments below!
Eggs
Eggs are important here as they are acting like the glue holding the bread and carrot/apple bits all together. For an egg free option, I have used chia seed replacement successfully in muffin form. I used this same recipe with the exception of the eggs. Instead of 4 eggs, I used 2 tablespoons of chia seed, soaked in 4 tablespoons of water for 10 minutes. This only replaces 2 of the 4 eggs so to recover some of the lost moisture, i added in a splash of dairy free milk as well. 350°F for 12-18 minutes (muffins).
Spices
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cardamon.. all classic apple and carrot flavor pairings. I only like cinnamon and ginger so that's what this recipe calls for.
Caramel Sauce
This is my take it or leave it ingredient. The cake is totally great with out it but there's something so delicious about caramel sauce on apple anything! I use this one by Ghirardelli on Amazon because the squeeze bottle makes it that much easier to apply.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Cream cheese frosting is a must have on carrot cake in my household. The tangy spread is just so complimentary to the warm spices! If your having trouble with yours coming together, check out my blog post on Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting, it has so many tips from getting the right consistency to avoiding lumpy frosting.
How to Make Caramel Apple Carrot Cake
Pre-heat oven to 350°F and prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and non-stick spray
In a large mixing bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices. Mix thoroughly so spices are well distributed.
In a seperate bowl mix together eggs, grated carrots and apples, oil, and sugars.
Combine wet ingredients into ingredients. Make sure to scoop from the bottom and scrap the sides to mix all the flour in.
Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared cake pans. This can easily be done with a measuring cup.. or just eyeball it 😜
Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until center is set and if a toothpick is inserted comes out clean, no batter sticking to it.
Carefully transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Caramel Apple Cake
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and powered sugar until texture looks like wet sand.
While continuing to mix a low speed, add room temperature cream cheese mix until smooth and creamy consistency, scraping down sides as needed.
Lastly, add in the vanilla and mix again until just combined.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does this Recipe Keep On the Counter?
This Caramel Apple Carrot Cake has cream cheese frosting so I wouldn't keep it on your counter for longer than 2 days. It is best to store it in the fridge to retain freshness longer at 5-7 days.
Do I Need to Peel the Apples and Carrots?
If using juice pulp like I do, peeling is optional. The Ninja NeverClog Cold Press Juicer can pulverize carrots and apples super easily! I don't even core my apples to ensure I get every last bit of juice. The pulp left over is what we used in this cake recipe.
What If I Don't Have a Juicer for Carrot and Apple Pulp?
Simply use a a Box Shredder (the thing we use to shred cheese ! ) to shred your carrots and apples with easy
Can I Turn This Recipe Into Cupcakes?
Yes! Portion the batter into lined cupcake tins and bake for 18–22 minutes. Drizzle caramel on top of the frosting for a beautiful spring-inspired finish.
Video Demonstration
Did you make this recipe?
I've got my plate ready 🍽️ so be sure to tag me!
