Adapted from Ina Garten’s classic carrot cake, my sourdough carrot cake recipe gets a quick upgrade with leftover sourdough discard and fragrant chai spice. I grate the carrots in advance, skip the walnuts and raisins, and bake the cake one day before serving to save time. So moist & fluffy!
Just like my overnight sourdough apple cake and these moist sourdough blueberry muffins, my sourdough carrot cake recipe is unapologetically soft, sweet and sumptuous. It smells good. The fragrant chai spice takes it to the next level.
And that decadent cream cheese frosting you just want to drag your finger through? I add smooth mascarpone cheese to make it creamier and dreamier than ever!
What Sets My Recipe Apart
Wake and bake (overnight option): Make the batter, pour into your prepared pan, and chill overnight. In the morning, bake straight from the fridge! The overnight option deepens the flavor and maximizes digestibility. Or, do a same-day bake instead.
Flavored with chai spice: Most carrot cake recipes use ground cinnamon only. Try using chai spice instead (I love this local NYC brand). It’s a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice and sometimes, black pepper. It lends a dark, rich, gingerbread color too.
Ditch the add-ins (if you don’t like them): Does the mere mention of raisins, walnuts, coconut flakes, and pineapple stress you out? For this recipe, I keep it simple so my kids don’t freak out. It tastes perfectly fine. Do as you see fit.
My Best Sourdough Carrot Cake Tips:
- TIP #1: Use a stand mixer. This isn’t rocket science (and yes, you can still do it by hand). But doing so beats air into the eggs and sugar seamlessly. Plus, it leaves you free to do other things. It’s mostly hands off.
- TIP #2: Grate the carrots by hand. Per Ina’s recipe, shredded food processor carrots won’t work (if they’re too wet, the cake might fall). The store-bought julienned carrots that come in a bag won’t work either. I grate mine in advance with a normal box grater.
- TIP #3: Use a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Everyone has a rectangular baking pan at home. And the best part? It’s easy to transport wherever you go if needed.
How To Make Sourdough Carrot Cake {Step-By-Step Recipe}
Step 1: Grate The Carrots
I typically do this 1-2 days in advance, cover, and chill until ready to use. A box grater with medium holes is fine. Watch your knuckles.
Step 2: Make The Batter
Mix the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract for roughly 2 minutes. Add the sourdough starter. Note: In the pictures above, I mix by hand so you can see the texture up close.
Next, add the sifted dry ingredients to the bowl. Fold in the carrots.
Pour the batter into a lined 9×13-inch pan. At this point, you can cover and chill overnight. Or proceed to bake.
Step 2: Bake The Cake
Bake at 350 F for 40-50 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling down.
Step 3: Make The Frosting
Add softened mascarpone cheese, cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar and salt to a stand mixer. Whip until wonderfully light and creamy. Don’t forget to give it a taste! The salt really enhances the flavor in a super subtle way.
Step 4: Decorate The Cake
When the cake is completely cool (no cheating) frost your carrot cake. Top with pastel chocolate eggs, or another decoration of choice. Cut into thick, bouncy squares and enjoy!
Make It Ahead:
In my opinion, sourdough carrot cake tastes even better the next day. I bake the cake and leave it unfrosted, covered at room temperature for one day. When you do it, just make sure your plastic wrap or foil is not touching the surface of the cake (it will rip right off). See my sample baking schedule below.
Sample Schedule {Bake-Ahead}
- Friday Night: Wash, peel, and grate the carrots. Cover and chill. Dig out your 9x 13 pan and line with parchment paper. Feed your sourdough starter. Go to bed.
- Saturday Morning: Make the batter. Bake the cake. Leave out at room temperature to cool. Cover overnight.
- Sunday Morning: Make the frosting. Ice cake. Decorate. Pat self on back.
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Best Sourdough Carrot Cake
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
- Total Time: 55-65 minutes
- Yield: (1x) 9 x 13-inch cake
- Category: Sourdough Recipes
- Method: Baking
Description
Adapted from Ina Garten’s classic carrot cake, this version gets a quick upgrade with leftover sourdough discard and fragrant chai spice. I grate the carrots in advance, skip the walnuts and raisins, and bake the cake one day before serving.
Ingredients
For the Cake
Note: Ina’s original recipe calls for mild flavored vegetable oil (not olive oil), 2 tsp group cinnamon (not chai spice), and it does not contain any sourdough starter. I like the flavor of olive oil and you can skip the sourdough starter if you don’t have any.
For the cake
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 1 1/3 cups (320 ml) olive oil
- 3 extra-large eggs (70 g each), at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) leftover sourdough starter (see note)
- 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp chai spice
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 cups (300 g) grated carrots
- 1 level tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2– 1 cup (75 g– 150 g) raisins (optional)
- 1/2– 1 cup (60 g -120 g) chopped walnuts (optional)
For the frosting
- 8 oz (226 g) mascarpone cheese, softened
- 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- fat pinch of fine sea salt
To decorate
- Pastel chocolate eggs (optional)
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (a hand held mixer works too), combine the sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-low speed for 2 minutes until light yellow and slightly thickened. This will give the cake a little lift.
- Add the sourdough starter; mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the 2 cups of flour, chai spice, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture; mix on low speed.
- Wash, peel, and grate the carrots with a box grater (this can be done 1 day in advance, covered and chilled until ready to use). Combine the carrots with 1 tablespoon of flour; mix well. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake. Add the carrots to the batter and fold in with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. At this point, you can cover and chill overnight. Or for a same-day bake, jump to the next step.
- Bake the cake on the center rack for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting the cake.
- For the Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened mascarpone and cream cheese. Sift the powdered sugar directly over the bowl. Add the salt. Mix on medium-low speed until wonderfully light and creamy. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
- To serve: decorate with pastel chocolate eggs, if using. Cut into square and enjoy!
Notes
For best results, use a 100% hydration starter, fed with equal parts flour and water by weight. Its batter-like texture is the perfect match for this carrot cake. If you’re using a thicker, low hydration starter the texture of the cake will be too dry.
Comments
Val Ullrich says
Hi Emilie
I made this sourdough carrot cake recipe for a family celebration last evening… it was fabulous and had rave reviews , most of us all had seconds including the 3 young grandchildren . I did do some changes to make it more healthier…
1. 1 -cup of coconut sugar instead of 2 cups sugar
2. used half oil and half apple sauce
3 Einkorn ancient grain flour instead of the all purpose white
I love baking anything with sourdough starter , so was anxious to try this one and will probably be my most baked carrot cake from now on. I baked it in a bundt pan instead of the 9×13.
Carla my daughter me told me about you and your recipes , she was doing some work for you …
xoxox
Val
Emilie Raffa says
Val, thank you so much for sharing this. I absolutely LOVE your adjustments, especially the Einkorn flour! Yum! PS: Carla is a dream to work with ;)
Erin says
Hey if I let the starter sit in the batter a few hours will I get more sourdough flavor? Or will it wreck the cake and make it more bread like?
Emilie Raffa says
It depends on the acidity level of your starter and/or the temperature of the batter. For more sour flavor, your best bet is to let it ferment overnight. With that said however, the texture will thicken; you’ll need to add more liquid the following day. Hope this helps, Erin!
Yen says
Hi there, I have some sourdough discard that I have frozen over the week. Would this still work if I thaw it one day before in the fridge and use it the next day? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Yen, I’ve actually never used frozen sourdough discard before. To experiment, I’d thaw overnight in the fridge and and see how it goes. Very curious!
Aviva says
This is an amazing cake, a definite keeper. Great way to use discard starter.
I used regular Canola oil instead of olive. And we don’t have chai spice so I used just cinnamon .
Cake is moist and delicious.
Sharla says
This really IS the best sourdough carrot cake! I think I’ve made it 3 or 4 times now. I order a produce bag and they send 2 bags of carrots….. so my husband is always excited and says, “Yay! More carrot cake!” ….I’ve created a monster!
Robyn says
I really shouldn’t rate this since I made a few changes, but consider this a rating for the chat inspiration alone. My husband wanted “carrot cake muffins” (cupcakes really, u guess), that were naturally leavened with my Sourdough. I just won’t tell him I used a little baking soda, too. I found this recipe, but what I had on hand is the Blue Lotus Mandarin Masala Chai tea mix. It looks like a dry spice, but the first ingredient is really “naturally brewed and dried black tea”. I used it anyway, increasing the spice amount by 50% because of the tea in it. What I got it the most amazing carrot cake tongues have ever tasted, and I make a lot of carrot cake type things. This chat thing is simply amazing. I’m worse than one of the kids, I couldn’t keep my fingers out of the batter.
Thank you for the recipe!
Susana says
Hi! I would like to make this recipe but with butter, you think I Coul use 320g of butter instead of olive oil, the substitution could be in the same amount?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Great question. I’ve never made this with butter so I’m unable to advise on the specifics. If you experiment, please let us know! :)
Dori says
Delicious moist cake. I have used half the sugar and a bit less butter instead of oil. Worked fine as well.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Dori! Thanks so much for your feedback. I know a few others were wondering about reducing the sugar. Perfect! Glad you like it. xx
Susana valente says
Hi! How much butter Doris used to make the cake?
Markéta says
Hey, I haven’t tried the recipe yet, snd Im new to sourdough baking.
Would there be any chance to cut fown on the amout of oil? And can I let the batter ferment? To make it more digestqble, I thought thaťs the purpose of the wild yeast 🙈 Thanks
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! I’m sure you could reduce the amount of oil. I haven’t tried it myself, so do let us know! As for letting this batter ferment, I tested it and was not happy with the results; the texture was too chewy.
MariaC says
I would love to try this but don’t have chai spice. What can I substitute?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Pumpkin pie spice would be nice, or cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. x
Amanda says
Is there a substitute for the marscapone for the icing? Sadly none of my local stores have any in stock.
Emilie Raffa says
Yes! Cream cheese would be perfect.
Nikki says
Thanks for this great recipe & a use for discard sourdough starter. It worked great for me. I made two adjustments. First, my eggs were small & my starter on the dryer side so I added a couple tablespoons of applesauce. Also, I ran out of sugar so subbed the last 1/2 cup with maple syrup. The cake was wonderfully moist! Thanks so much for this!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Nikki! Fantastic adjustments. Thanks for letting us know! xx
Alisha Ross says
I think that all the blogs I’ve read for the past 2 weeks show their amazing breakfast that included PANCAKES. I’m starting to get a hint (as in “Brittany, get up off your butt and make some flippin pancakes”)… lol
Barb says
I am just starting on my sourdough journey. This cake is sooo good! I love the edges that bake up kind of crispy, and the frosting is to die for. Thank you for sharing this recipe, I will definitely be making this again.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Barb! You are very welcome. We love this cake (and those crispy edges!) too. xx
Melissa Z. Mulholland says
Hi! I just made my first sour dough bread EVER following your cookbook and it came out AMAZING! My husband, friend, 2 year old, and I all ate the entire thing as our dinner :) So now I’m on the hunt to make other things with my starter :) Question, do you think this carrot cake recipe could be translated into carrot muffins?? Thanks!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Melissa! Yay! Thanks so much for the feedback; glad you are enjoying the book. You can definitely make muffins with this recipe. I haven’t tested it myself, but I would just go ahead and experiment, reducing the overall baking time. Just keep you eye on them (and let us know how it goes if you make them!).xx
Ann Crossing says
Hi, just looking at making the sourdough carrot cake. Does the starter have to be active like when we bake bread; as you mention to feed it. I have some discard in the fridge, which normally takes about 2 – 3 days to becomes active after being fed every 8 hours. Thanks.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Ann! This recipe calls for leftover sourdough starter discard (un fed). x E
Zo says
Just made this with prunes, orange zest and a bit of the orange juice. Best carrot cake with sourdough I’ve found yet!
Emilie Raffa says
Oh my goodness, this sounds heavenly! About how much of each did you add? Might want to give it a try. Thanks so much! xx
Ashley L says
This turned out amazing. Made it as a layer cake and it was perfect. I had 16 people over for Easter lunch and they are still talking about how good the cake was! It was perfectly moist and fluffy and the frosting was so good. I will make this again and again! Thank you.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Ashley! Thanks for the feedback. Isn’t this cake yummy? And great idea to turn into a layer cake. The mascarpone in the frosting takes it to the next level. So happy you liked it. :)
Shannon says
I made this yesterday to bring to Easter supper tonight and I nibbled an edge and thought- meh, needs more spice! But then today as I was icing it I nibbled another tiny bite and it was spectacular! Definitely likes an overnight rest. Everyone went crazy for it and it all disappeared like magic. The mascarpone icing was incredible! Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Shannon! Thanks for the feedback! The flavor definitely deepens on the overnight. You now, I just thought of something too- what brand of chai spice did you use? I’m sure some brands are stronger than others. The Spice Tree Organics brand I use is really good. And how about that mascarpone frosting?! I couldn’t stop licking the spoon while I shot the photos for this post ;)
Shannon says
Thanks for the tip, Emilie! I didn’t have premade spice so I just looked online and made my own combination. I’ll look for that brand that you’ve recommended, thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
No worries! Thanks again, Shannon! :)
Alexandra says
I’ve got sourdough. I’ve got carrots. And all the rest… And I said to myself: what are u waiting for????
And I made this marvelous, marvelous cake!!! Thank you, Emilie!
Emilie Raffa says
Isn’t that funny how we procrastinate about recipes sometimes? I have a whole list of stuff I want to try (and never do!). So glad you like the cake :)
Elise says
I love all the extras in carrot cake. At least the raisins and nuts. How do I put them back in? Do I need to soak them as in your bread recipes? Or can I just fold them in dry?
Emilie says
Hi Elise! Great question. If you’d like to add raisins and walnuts to this carrot cake, just fold them in dry. Anywhere from 1/2 – 1 cup of each one is good. There’s no need to soak them beforehand like in bread baking. However, I’ve read that some bakers like to soak the raisins in orange juice (sometimes rum) to plump them up and for extra flavor. Totally optional!
Alexandra says
Emilie, I adore your idea about sourdough in this recipe! I can’t stop making it right now!!!
Emilie says
Thanks Alexandra! I love Ina’s carrot cake recipe, and adding sourdough to it was a no brainer for me. I think you’ll love it. x E
Anne says
Carrot cake from the Clever Carrot. With sourdough. Why wouldn’t I try it? Bookmarked to try after the Easter break. It sounds delicious.
Emilie says
Anne! So nice to hear from you! Hope you like the cake- it’s a good one. x E
Jennifer says
SO nice to have you back!! I know motherhood can take up all of your time. I LOOOOVe the fact that you use your discarded sourdough starter here! Thanks Emilie!!
Emilie says
Thanks Jennifer! Time? What is time these days? LOL. Enjoy the recipe and happy Easter :)