Fall into My Mouth
When Fall comes around, pumpkins are all the craze. Pumpkin desserts, pumpkin drinks, and pumpkin dinners. I’m all for the pumpkin recipes, but even I’ll admit that is can come to be a little much. Part of the allure of fall is that we can start feeling warm and cozy. I think we get lost in the pumpkin sauce and forget that there’s other equally delicious treats that capture the essence of Fall other than pumpkin. I want to introduce you to my new fall favorite: my Tahini Carrot Cake with Salted Maple Whipped Cream. It’s a carrot cake baked with spices and tahini, then topped with a whipped cream cheese topping, sweetened with maple syrup and garnished with a sprinkle of flaky salt!
When I think of fall, in the realm of food, I think of warmer colors and flavors. While this Tahini Carrot Cake may not seem like your typical Fall dessert, it most certainly hits all the notes you’d want from a fall treat. The shredded carrots in this recipe help keep the cake moist and lend their natural sweetness to it. Cinnamon is a popular spice used for fall baking because it’s what gives dishes that earthy, warm flavor. When you think about it, pumpkin doesn’t actually carry a whole lot of flavor. Spices like cinnamon are the ingredients that create that “pumpkin spice” flavor. In this recipe, the cinnamon plays really well with the tahini. Tahini already has a nutty flavor, so the warmth of the cinnamon compliments it to create that cozy fall feel. Then add in the caramelized maple flavor from the Salted Maple Whipped Cream, and it’s Fall in your mouth.
Baking the Batter
To get this Tahini Carrot Cake started, we’ll make the batter. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and spray an 8×8 inch pan with non-stick spray and line the inside with parchment paper. Set it aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until evenly combined. Then in a separate bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, tahini, and vanilla extract. Mix in the whole milk and vegetable oil. Fold in the shredded carrots until evenly mixed into the batter.
Pour the bowl of dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Gently mix until the batter is well combined. Spread the batter out into the prepared pan and bake it in the oven for 33-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lighten It Up
While the cake cools, we can make the Salted Maple Whipped Cream. This may actually be my favorite part about this recipe. Carrot cake and cream cheese frosting is an iconic combination. However, frosting can sometimes be too sweet and overwhelming for me. I wanted to create a topping that was lighter but still complimentary to the carrot cake. So I decided, why not combine whipped cream and cream cheese? You still get a hint of that tangy cream cheese flavor while having a lighter, airier topping. Then to contribute to the fall vibes, I used maple syrup to sweeten it.
Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into a bowl. Cream the ingredients together until well blended.
Next, pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until you get whipped cream with stiff peaks. Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Then fold in the remaining half.
Ultimately, I feel like this Salted Maple Whipped Cream is what makes it stand out from a normal carrot cake. If we topped it with cream cheese frosting, I’m sure it would still be delicious, but it wouldn’t be anything different. I wanted this Tahini Carrot Cake to be a dessert that stood out, so this Salted Maple Whipped Cream is the final element that pulls it altogether into a Fall dessert that’s a little more mature and elegant.
Nutty, Warm, and Sweet
Once the cake has cooled, swirl the Salted Maple Whipped Cream on top. Drizzle on a bit of additional maple syrup and finish with a sprinkle of flaky salt. This Tahini Carrot Cake is so moist and light! The cake itself is soft and fluffy, then the topping is whipped and airy. The nuttiness from the tahini, warmth from the cinnamon, and caramelized sweetness from the maple syrup all play together so well. And you can’t forget the flaky salt on top! That extra touch adds another dimension to the dessert so that it’s not just a boring, sweet cake. It essentially enhances the sweetness and flavor by contrasting it. So if you think you don’t like carrot cake, try this recipe out and let me know if your thoughts have changed. Thanks for joining me today and I’ll catch you in my next post!
Tahini Carrot Cake with Salted Maple Whipped Cream
Ingredients
For the Tahini Carrot Cake:
- 1¾ cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 Large Eggs
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Tahini
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Whole Milk
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 ⅓ cup Shredded Carrots
For the Salted Maple Whipped Cream:
- 4 oz Cream Cheese (at room temperature)
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
- 4 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- Additional Maple Syrup (for topping)
- Flaky Salt (for topping)
Instructions
For the Tahini Carrot Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray an 8×8 inch pan with non-stick spray and line the inside with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, tahini, and vanilla extract. Then mix in the whole milk and vegetable oil. Fold in the shredded carrots until evenly mixed into the batter.
- Pour the bowl of dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients. Gently mix until well combined. Spread the batter out into the prepared pan. Bake it in the oven for 33-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Salted Maple Whipped Cream:
- Add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract into a bowl. Cream the ingredients together until well blended.
- Pour the heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on high speed until you get whipped cream with stiff peaks.
- Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Then fold in the remaining half.
- When the cake has cooled completely, spread the salted maple whipped cream onto the top of the cake. Add a final drizzle of maple syrup over top and sprinkle on flaky salt. Slice and enjoy!
