Ingredients
Scale
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 large egg
Cake
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup milk (I used almond coconut blend – use what you love)
- 2 cups grated carrots
- ½ cup raisins (I always use Trader Joe’s Jumbo Medley – it is fab!)
Streusel
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup pecans or walnuts, optional
Glaze
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 2–4 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 inch round cake pan.
- Make the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and egg until mostly smooth. A few lumps are okay.
- Make the cake. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I did this by hand but a hand or stand mixer will work as well. Beat in the vanilla bean paste and egg.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the sugar mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir in half of the cream cheese mixture, followed by the carrots and raisins.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and top with the remaining cream cheese mixture. Use a fork or knife to swirl the cream cheese mixture into the batter.
- Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the pecans or walnuts if using. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the cake.
- Bake cake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan or serve immediately. Before serving, make the glaze. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, vanilla, and orange juice. Add more sugar or orange juice until you achieve the desired consistency.
- Cake may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the microwave for about 1 minute.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Girl Versus Dough
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes