Moist & Rustic Carrot Cake with Pumpkin Walnut Jam

There’s something about a good carrot cake that just hits different, you know? This one is moist, fluffy, and packed with the warm, earthy flavor of freshly grated carrot and crunchy walnuts, the kind of cake that fills the kitchen with that cozy cinnamon smell while it bakes. I made this one a while back and honestly should have shared the recipe earlier hehehe.

Now, instead of going the usual route with a drizzle of chocolate ganache or cream cheese icing, which, don’t get me wrong, are always a solid choice with carrot cake, I decided to top this with a pumpkin and walnut jam, and it was a match made in heaven. The jam adds this slightly sweet, nutty richness that pairs perfectly with the cake’s warmth and spice. If you can’t find pumpkin jam where you are, no worries at all, chocolate works great, or honestly any jam you have that you enjoy will do the trick.

This is also a very forgiving, crowd-pleasing cake that looks impressive without requiring you to stress over it. Whether you’re baking it for a weekend gathering or just treating yourself on a quiet afternoon, this one’s going to deliver. Let’s check the recipe!

Moist & Rustic Carrot Cake with Pumpkin Walnut Jam

Servings: 12
Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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You can't go wrong with a nice carrot cake, fluffy, creamy and a pretty easy and pleasing recipe to follow!

Ingredients

Carrots – 300g
Walnuts – 100g
Sugar – 250g
Eggs – 6
Oil – 200ml
Flour – 350g
Cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
Baking Powder – 1 teaspoon
Butter – For greasing
Flour – For dusting
Jam – To taste for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and prepare a springform pan, greased with butter and dusted with flour. Tap the pan to remove excess flour.

Peel the carrots (approximately 3 large ones) and grate them. Squeeze out the excess water; slightly drier carrots will cook better. Also, break the walnuts into pieces and set aside.
Now, in a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until smooth.
Then, slowly add the oil, whisking constantly until well combined.

Next, add the sifted flour and baking powder, followed by the cinnamon. Mix a little more without whisking.
Finally, add the walnuts and carrots and mix well until you have a homogeneous mixture. Pour this into the pan.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown. Test with a toothpick; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Remove from the oven and let cool.

Once cooled, unmold and cover with the pumpkin and walnut jam, and it’s ready to serve! Enjoy!

Notes & Tips: Squeezing the carrot really does matter. It sounds like a small step but skipping it can leave the batter too wet and affect how the cake rises and sets. A clean kitchen towel or a few paper towels work great for this.

On the jam, pumpkin and walnut jam is a specialty you might find at farmers markets or Portuguese/European delis. If you can’t track it down, a good quality apricot jam, fig jam, or even a simple chocolate ganache all work beautifully as alternatives.

Don’t overbake it. Every oven runs a little differently, so start checking at the 40-minute mark with a toothpick. A slightly underbaked carrot cake is always better than a dry one.

You can also add a small pinch of nutmeg or ground ginger alongside the cinnamon if you want to push the spice profile a little further, totally optional, but really nice.

Using grated carrot, creates a different taste and texture, way more rustic but if you are looking for a more classic creamy carrot cake, then you can also try the best carrot cake recipe IN THE WORLD! ;D

This recipe for Moist & Rustic Carrot Cake with Pumpkin Walnut Jam was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Bolo de Cenoura e Geleia de Noz foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.