Ooey Gooey Carrot Butter Cake
Description
This ooey gooey carrot butter cake hits somewhere between a carrot cake, a chess bar, and a cheesecake. It has crisp sugary edges, a gooey interior, and a soft cookie-like crust which makes the cake extra scrumptious.
Ingredients
•
Baking spray with flour
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1/2 cup (4 ounces), plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
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2 cups (7 3/4 ounces) shredded carrot (from 4 medium carrots)
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1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
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1 (15 1/4-ounce) box spice cake mix (such as Duncan Hines)
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3 large eggs, at room temperature, divided
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2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
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1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
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4 cups (1 pound) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
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2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
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3/4 teaspoon table salt
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1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, plus more for garnish
Directions
1
Gather all ingredients. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with baking spray; line bottom and sides with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides.
2
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and just starting to brown slightly, about 8 minutes.
3
Transfer to a heatproof bowl; stir in cardamom. Chill in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cool, about 15 minutes.
4
While carrots cool, beat cake mix, 1 egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-low speed just until combined, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5
Pat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
6
Beat cream cheese in a separate large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides.
7
Add powdered sugar, lemon zest, salt, remaining 2 eggs, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in cooled carrots and pecans until evenly dispersed.
8
Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cake mix layer in pan.
9
Bake in the preheated oven until top is lightly golden, shiny, and slightly crackly, about 40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 to 3 hours. (It’s OK if topping sinks slightly as it cools.)
10
Using parchment paper as handles, remove from pan and cut into bars. Dust with powdered sugar. Garnish with pecans.