Citrus and carrot come together for one sweet fruit- and veggie-filled bake.
Candied Carrot Bundt Cake
Makes 1 (10-Cup) Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups matchstick carrots
- 1 navel orange
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons lightly packed orange zest
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine-grain yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a 4-quart saucepan, bring 2 cups water and 2 cups granulated sugar to a boil over medium-high heat; cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 250°. Add carrot, stirring to evenly coat. Remove pan from heat and let cool. Remove carrots with a slotted spoon, reserving syrup in pan. Coarsely chop carrots.
- Remove peel from orange with a serrated knife. Remove and discard white pith from peel and cut peel into strips. Bring reserved syrup in pan to a boil. Add orange peel; cook until peel begins to turn translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
- Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on a piece of parchment paper. Using a slotted spoon or fork, transfer orange peel to prepared parchment paper, tossing to coat with sugar. Let cool. Reserve syrup in pan for cake (about ¾ cup).
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a large bowl, beat sour cream, brown sugar, oil, zest, and eggs with a mixer at low speed for 1 minute.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add flour mixture to sour cream mixture; beat at low speed until just combined. Stir in reserved chopped candied carrots.
- Spray a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray with flour. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet. While cake is still hot, brush with half of reserved syrup. Let cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle with remaining syrup. Garnish with candied orange peel. Serve warm or at room temperature.
