Bolo de cenoura | Brazilian Carrot Cake

Oi gente, today we will talk about the Brazilian version of a carrot cake. Here it is called Bolo de cenoura – which is literally Carrot (cenoura) Cake (bolo). Each country has its own version of a carrot cake. And all of them are delicious. If you have already tried the Brazilian version, let us know in the comment section below. If you have never had it, I invite you to try to bake it and then tell us how it was for you. 😉

How is the Brazilian Carrot Cake?

While the American Carrot Cake is chunky and spiced and has a cream cheese frosting, the Brazilian Carrot Cake is less indulgent, more sweet and has a chocolate frosting – which can be brigadeiro.

In Brazil, instead of adding grated carrots for texture, we blend them until smooth. They give the cake a bright orange color and a delicious flavour. It is great to eat for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.

How to make the Brazilian Carrot Cake – recipe

Ingredientes:

2 cenouras de tamanho médio ou 250g (Two medium size carrots or 250g)

1/2 xícara de óleo (1/2 tea cup of soy oil)

3 ovos (3 eggs)

1/2 xícara de amido de milho (1/2 tea cup of cornstarch)

1 e 1/2 xícara de farinha de trigo (1 and 1/2 tea cup of wheat flour)

1 colher de fermento em pó (1 tablespoon of baking powder)

1 xícara de açúcar (1 tea cup of sugar)

Modo de fazer:

Blend in a mixer the eggs, the oil, the carrots and the sugar. Blend it very well until smooth. And when I say smooth, I mean it! No little pieces of carrots should be found. Pieces of carrot can weigh down the batter and make a denser cake. Also, it is important to weigh the carrots correctly, to not be too dense. Then, the cake won’t work.

Next step is to mix the cornstarch and the wheat flour together. Always sift your dry ingredients. Sifting adds air – and thus lightness – while also preventing lumps that would weigh down the batter.

Transfer the liquid to a bowl, and gently add the flour and baking powder. And that’s it!

Don’t forget to preheat your oven. Time and temperature affect the texture and flavour of baked goods, and starting in a cold oven changes both of those variables. Also, the batter requires a good amount of heat at the beginning, for optimal rise, texture and browning. While you wait for it to heat, grease the baking pan with butter (or oil) and flour.

Resist the urge to open the oven door too often, as that will let a lot of the heat escape and can cause your cake to sink.

Making the chocolate frosting

Next step is to make the frosting. You can make a brigadeiro and put over the cake while still hot, and to know how to make it, read THIS article. Or you can make a different one – less sweet – which is described below.

Ingredientes:

1 colher de sopa de manteiga (1 tablespoon of butter)

2 caixinhas de creme de leite (2 small boxes – 200g – of Brazilian sour cream – 17% fat)

3 ou 4 colheres de achocolatado em pó ou cacau em pó (3 or 4 tablespoons of chocolate powder or cocoa powder)

Modo de fazer:

Take the sour cream and the butter to the oven and mix everything together. Then, add the chocolate and keep mixing. Don’t stop until it is boiling. While still hot, add it to the cake recently taken from the oven.

Now if you want to see the live class we had on Instagram teaching how to make it, CLICK HERE.