Sourdough Carrot Cake

Nothing beats a slice of carrot cake with orange zest cream cheese icing served alongside your daily cup of black coffee or tea. This cake melts in your mouth, is made with the wonder of sourdough and is a crowd pleaser. Every time I make this, it is gone within a few days, or sooner! No matter the season, this cake is meant to be enjoyed year round.

I was never a huge pie person, but cake is a whole other story. Would you also believe me if I told you that carrots are my least favorite food! Yep, this is true. All the same, this cake ranks in my top 5 for desserts.

Using an active starter with this cake batter will help with flavour development and create bubbles and air in the cake itself. I know that storebought cakes are super convenient, but with the lack of flavour, dry texture and many suspicious ingredients, homemade is a much better route to take. My recipe for sourdough carrot cake contains good ingredients and tastes better than anything you can buy from the store.

Why Sourdough?

I was gluten free for years after experiencing migraines and headaches anytime I touched gluten. A friend told me that they found they were able to enjoy ALL glutenous goodness as long as it was made with a fermented sourdough starter. This intrigued me because GF bread was just not doing it for me.

Within 24 hours, I got myself a sourdough starter and began to figure this out. Within a week of eating sourdough fermented breads, I boasted of zero migraines/headaches AND even saw my skin clearing up.

Fast forward to now, I bake all our own bread and baked goods by use of an active sourdough starter or with the discard. Either way, my body (and my family’s body!) loves it!

Here are some sourdough facts for you:

• Sourdough is easy to digest: It contains a natural bacteria and germ in the fermentation process that will break down the starches in the grains before they even hit your stomach. Basically, very gentle on your gut!
• Blood sugar friendly: With sourdough being fermented, it works against any bad starches and ingredients that can cause your blood sugar levels to rise and spike.
• Full of good acid: The acid in sourdough breads can help your body process foods easier and absorb more minerals, yielding a stronger immune system and better health overall.
• Good for GF sensitivities: In the creation of sourdough bread, gluten is broken down overtime and has changed into amino acids before you enjoy it. This aids in easier digestion and gut health.
• Less preservatives: Sourdough preserves itself naturally using acetic acid, nothing fake here!
• The flavour: Sourdough has a tang and flavour like no other bread. It is hearty, satisfying and extremely delicious.

Sourdough Carrot Cake Ingredients

• Flour: I use an all purpose organic flour from our local mill.
• Baking Soda: For a fluffy texture.
• Salt: Sea salt is my go to.
• Cinnamon/Nutmeg/Cloves: For a warm nutty flavour and smell.
• Active Starter: To ferment our batter (so good for your gut!) and aid in texture and flavour development. You can also use discard.
• Olive Oil: Creates a moist spongy cake!
• White Sugar: I use an organic cane sugar.
• Brown Sugar: Make your own brown sugar from home using cane sugar and molasses. Any storebought brown sugar works well too!
• Vanilla: To help flavour and smell.
• Eggs: We love our local farm eggs!
• Carrots: These carrots need to be finely grated for the best flavour and cake texture.
• Pecans: This is optional but increases that nutty flavour.
• Cream Cheese: The base for our icing. Softened works best!
• Butter: Softened and salted butter is what I use for this icing.
• Icing Sugar: Make your own at home by putting cane sugar into a blender. Just blend until soft and fine. Storebought works too.
• Orange Peel: This adds a ton of flavour to the cream cheese icing.

How To Make Sourdough Carrot Cake From Scratch

First, make sure you start the night before you plan on eating this cake. If I want to enjoy this Wednesday, I will make the batter Tuesday evening. It needs that overnight rest in the fridge to properly ferment and kick up the flavour. It will also help with a more moist and fluffy cake that keeps it shape and structure.

Our mixing tool is just a whisk and spindle. No loud sounds of a stand mixer or hand beater for that evening batter prep! That means my kids can sleep and I can take a slow evening of making cake.

STEP 1: MAKE THE BATTER

In a medium bowl, combine your flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, starter and olive oil until smooth. Now add your sugars, vanilla and carrots. Mix well. If adding pecans, fold them in here.

Pour your dry mix into the wet and stir until combined. 

Cover and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours.

STEP 2: BAKE

When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a 9″ pan, grease well and cut a circle of parchment paper to lay on the bottom of the pan. Pour half your cake batter into the pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until it passes the knife test. If you have two 9″ cake pans to use, you can get this done in one go but I only boast of one pan so I do this in shifts!

STEP 3: ICING

In a bowl, place your softened butter, cream cheese and use a hand blender or stand mixer to whip them up. Make sure they are totally smooth before adding your icing sugar. Add in 2 cups of sugar, blend and then add the remaining two cups. Add your vanilla and orange zest and blend once more.

STEP 4: FROST

To frost your cake, start with 1 of your cake rounds, place good amount of icing on top and spread into an even layer. Place the next cake layer on top of your icing. Either frost around your entire cake, top and sides, or just keep it on the top.

Top with coconut flakes or chopped pecans or leave as is. Enjoy!

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How To Store

Store in the fridge for 7 days covering it with cling wrap, slicing it and storing it in an airtight container or using a cake cover.

If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to share and tag me @sarahthereseco on Instagram and come back here to rate and leave a comment!

Sourdough Carrot Cake

One of my favorite desserts. Full of flavour, soft and spongy texture and made with the wonder of sourdough. This never lasts in our home!

5 from 9 votes

Print Rate Pin Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Overnight Rest: 12 hours hours

Servings: 1 9″ Double Layered Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 Cups Flour
• 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 200 Grams Active or Discard Sourdough Starter
• 1 Cup Olive Oil
• ¾ Cup Cane Sugar
• 1¼ Cups Brown Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
• 4 Eggs
• 1¾ Cups Finely Grated Carrots Loosely packed

Optional:

• ¾ Cup Chopped Pecans

Buttercream:

• 1 Cup Softened Cream Cheese
• ½ Cup Softened Butter
• 4 Cups Icing Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
• ½ Teaspoon Finely Grated Orange Peel

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine your flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and spices. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together your eggs, starter and olive oil until smooth. Now add your sugars, vanilla and carrots. Mix well. If adding pecans, fold them in here.
3. Pour your dry mix into the wet and stir until combined.
4. Cover and place in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours. This will help with flavour, moisture and rising!
5. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
6. In a 9″ pan (I use a spring form pan), grease well and cut a circle of parchment paper to lay on the bottom of the pan. This will help remove it after baking easily. Pour half your cake batter into the pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until it passes the knife test. If you have two 9″ cake pans to use, you can get this done in one go but I only boast of one pan so I do this in shifts!
7. Remove from the oven and let cool before removing the cake.
8. For the buttercream, first off is to make sure your butter and cream cheese is soft. If not, take the butter and cheese in your hands and warm them up by pressing them and squishing them.
9. In a bowl, place your butter, cream cheese and use a hand blender or stand mixer to whip them up. Make sure they are totally smooth before adding your icing sugar. Add in 2 cups of sugar, blend and then add the remaining two cups. Add your vanilla and orange zest and blend once more.
10. Before frosting your cake, feel free to keep the cake rounds as is or optionally you can cut off any caramelization before beginning!
11. To frost your cake, start with 1 of your cake rounds, place good amount of icing on top and spread into an even layer. Place the next cake layer on top of your icing. Either frost around your entire cake, top and sides, or just keep it on the top. I love the look of a “naked” cake but this buttercream recipe does yield enough for a full cake cover and extra decorating.
12. Top with coconut flakes or chopped pecans or leave as is.
13. Keeps 7 days in the fridge, covered with a cake cover or cling wrap.