We made it to the end of April, y’all! If you’re anything like me, you may have taken a look at your crisper drawer recently only to find a bunch of carrots you abandoned there shortly after Easter. And, if you’re exactly like me, this discovery feels like fate because you can’t stop thinking about that recipe for Brazilian Carrot Cake you stumbled across the other day.

The reason I have been so hyperfixated on this Brazilian Carrot Cake (or bolo de cenoura in Portuguese) is because it completely opposes everything I thought I knew about carrot cake! While here in Mississippi, we’re used to a somewhat dense cake packed with the different textures and flavors of carrots, nuts, warming spices and fruits, the Brazilian version opts for simplicity and lets the carrot’s natural qualities shine. Light, tender and simple to make, this cake even skips the addition of any spices, allowing the sweetness of fresh carrots to carry the full weight of its flavor profile. And as for the icing, the familiar, rich, creamy cream cheese icing we’re accustomed to is exchanged for a traditional Brazilian brigadeiro composed of sweetened condensed milk, cocoa and a bit of butter. The result is a glassy, decadent fudge glaze that is then finished with a sprinkling of chocolate jimmies for added fun and crunch! Do you see why I became obsessed? A light and fluffy carrot cake topped with chocolate fudge sounds like a mouthwatering dream come true to me!

I decided to use a recipe from fellow baker Terrence Gutierrez, who can be found on most social media platforms under the name “Terrence Bakes.” I strayed from Terrence’s recipe only to add a splash of vanilla extract into the cake batter and then to simplify his brigadeiro a tiny bit. Instead of using chopped chocolate as he called for, I used a few tablespoons of cocoa powder, which is supposed to be a bit more authentic to the original Brazilian method. I also omitted the heavy cream that Terrence called for in the name of simplicity. If you would rather use chopped chocolate instead of cocoa powder, just make sure to go for a bittersweet bar so that you can achieve those rich, slightly bitter notes to complement the sweetness of the cake and offset the sweetened condensed milk a bit!

While this cake does require you to whip out the blender so that you can pulverize the carrots, it beats grating the carrots by hand and was more than worth the extra dish soap afterward! If you want to make this simple cake more of a visual showstopper, just bake it up in a pretty Bundt pan! Though, if you don’t have one, don’t sweat it — this cake bakes up just as well as a simple sheet cake, in a loaf pan or even divided into a muffin tin … really any vessel would work. Though, if you do go for the Bundt pan, just be sure to butter and flour it well before adding the cake batter so that it doesn’t stick for that perfect pan flip.

I ended up bringing this cake to my book club, and the ladies declared the Brazilian Carrot Cake a smash hit! It made for great conversation as we delighted in another culture’s take on something so familiar to us, reimagined to highlight an elegant simplicity.
Shoutout to Brazil for this beautiful and delicious cake! I’m so glad I came across this recipe, had the good sense to recognize it as something special, and had a secret (forgotten) stash of carrots ready to become my introduction to what is definitely going to be a staple in my repertoire. Cheers to continued curiosity, simplicity that stuns and sharing good food from around the globe!

BRAZILIAN CARROT CAKE
(BOLO DE CENOURA):

Ingredients:
4 medium carrots (about 300 g), peeled and chopped
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 3/4 cups (360 g) granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder

For the brigadeiro (chocolate frosting):
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (sifted)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons salted butter

Other:
Butter and flour for coating the Bundt pan
2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

Directions (Cake):
■ Preheat your oven to 350 F and grease a 10-inch Bundt pan with butter, ensuring you’ve covered all sides and crevices very well. Add a few tablespoons of flour and shake and tap the pan to create a light flour layer over the butter. Dump any excess flour out!
■ In a blender, add the carrots, eggs, granulated sugar, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and fully liquid, about 30-60 seconds.
■ In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine.
■ Pour the carrot mixture from the blender into the dry ingredients and, using a spatula, carefully fold the ingredients together until the dry ingredients just disappear, careful not to overmix!
■ Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
■ Remove from the oven and let cool in the Bundt pan for about 10 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack with a lined baking sheet underneath to continue cooling fully.

Directions (Brigadeiro):
■ In a medium pot, add the cocoa powder, butter and the sweetened condensed milk. Cook on medium, stirring constantly until the ingredients are melted, fully combined and slightly thickened. Keep an eye on it, though, as it’s important to work fast when doing this – the longer the brigadeiro cooks on the heat, the stiffer it will get.
■ Immediately pour the hot brigadeiro evenly on top of the cooled carrot cake; any excess sauce should drain into the lined baking sheet underneath for easy cleanup.
■ Transfer to your preferred serving dish, top with chocolate jimmies and let the brigadeiro set for about 15 minutes before serving. Slice and enjoy!

Kristin is a Columbus local and a graduate of MUW’s Culinary Arts Program. She lives downtown with her husband Jon and her naughty cat Sokka. In her free time she enjoys baking, making stained glass art and hanging out with her friends. If you see her in town, say hi!