Brazilian-Style Chocolate-Glazed Carrot Cake

Bolo de cenoura which translates from Portuguese to English as, “carrot cake.” It can be found in Portuguese and Brazilian bakeries, and is very easy to make.

This Brazilian carrot cake requires no fancy technique or equipment—just a blender and a few simple ingredients you most likely already have in your pantry.

They include carrots, orange zest, coconut cream, flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla and a neutral oil.

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The cake is full of carrots giving the interior of the cake an orange-amber color.

Unlike American style-carrot cakes that are baked with spices and frosted with cream cheese, like this Gluten-Free Carrot Cake With A Cream Cheese Frosting, this traditional bolo de cenoura has no spices and is frosted with a Brazilian chocolate truffle confections called brigadeiro.

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But you will find that the chocolate drizzle for this recipe, Brazilian-Style Chocolate-Glazed Carrot Cake, is easier to make. It’s a mixture of semisweet chocolate thinned with fresh squeezed orange juice.

This version also replaces 1/2 cup of oil with coconut cream to give the crumb tropical notes and orange zest was added to brighten the flavor.

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Brazilian-Style Chocolate-Glazed Carrot Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour, spoon and level

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon table salt

12 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into rough 1-inch chunks (about 2 cups)

1½ cups white sugar

3/4 cup coconut cream (from a 5.4-ounce can)

1/2 cup neutral oil, such as avocado oil

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup strained orange juice

1 teaspoon neutral oil, such as avocado oil

Chocolate or colored sprinkles, chocolate pearls or roughly chopped cocoa nibs, for sprinkling (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle position.

Mist a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with baking spray, including the center tube and all crevices.

Making The Cake Batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a blender, combine the carrots, sugar, coconut cream, oil, eggs, orange zest and vanilla. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the jar as needed. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until smooth; the batter will be thin. Transfer to the prepared pan.

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Bake in preheated oven until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a small silicone spatula between the edges of the cake and the pan to loosen the sides; invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

Making The Chocolate Glaze

Put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or small bowl, heat the orange juice on high until just beginning to simmer, about 40 seconds. (Alternatively, in a small saucepan over medium, bring the juice to a bare simmer.)

Immediately pour 3 tablespoons juice over the chocolate, then gently shake the bowl to fully submerge the chocolate; let stand until the chocolate softens, about 2 minutes.

Gently whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the oil, then whisk again until smooth and shiny.

Let stand, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes. The glaze should have the consistency of pourable yogurt. If it is too thick, whisk in the remaining orange juice 1 teaspoon at a time (it’s fine if the juice has cooled).

Transfer the cake to a platter. Using a large spoon, drizzle the glaze onto the cake, allowing it to run down the sides.

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Garnish with sprinkles (if using), then dust off any sprinkles that landed on the platter. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.

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Try These Bunt-Cake Favorites

• Strawberry Yogurt Bundt Cake
• Mexican Chocoflan Impossible Cake

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