Bolo de Cenoura (Carrot Cake)
Updated Oct. 11, 2023
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes, plus cooking
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:12 servings
- 2cups/260 grams all-purpose flour
- 1tablespoon baking powder
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ½cup/115 milliliters grapeseed oil or other neutral oil, such as safflower or canola, plus more for pan
- 2large or 3 medium carrots (about 300 grams), trimmed, scrubbed and roughly chopped
- 1¼cups/270 grams granulated sugar
- 3eggs, at room temperature
- ½cup/112 grams full-fat sour cream
- 2(7.4-ounce/210-gram) cans sweetened condensed coconut milk
- 5tablespoons/30 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 2tablespoons chocolate sprinkles
For the Cake
For the Brigadeiro Topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
340 calories; 14 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 26 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 324 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Make the cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Generously brush a 9-inch round cake pan with oil.
- Step 2
In a blender or food processor, finely chop the carrots by pulsing about 6 to 10 times until minced. Add the sugar and pulse until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add the oil and eggs all at once. Pulse until the mixture is combined and looks a bit foamy, 30 seconds. (You can also do this step without a blender or food processor: Grate the carrots into a medium bowl using the fine side of a box grater. Add the sugar, eggs and oil, and use a whisk to combine.)
- Step 3
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, and, using a whisk, mix until just combined. Gently mix in the sour cream and pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan. Bake until the sides pull away slightly from the edge of the tin and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 to 50 minutes.
- Step 4
Move the cake to a baking rack set in a sheet pan and let it cool slightly in the pan, about 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the baking rack and let cool completely.
- Step 5
While the cake cools, make the brigadeiro topping: In a small saucepan, combine the sweetened condensed coconut milk, cocoa powder and salt. Stir with a whisk over medium-low heat until the cocoa powder is fully incorporated. Increase heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture forms large bubbles and thickens, about 12 to 15 minutes. It should fully coat a heatproof rubber spatula and drizzle off in a slow stream. Remove from heat and allow the topping to cool completely, stirring frequently to prevent a skin forming on top, and until the brigadeiro topping streaks when stirred and is thick and fudgy, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Step 6
Spread the cooled topping over the cake, swirling the topping over the center and allowing it to drip over the edge. Let it set slightly, about 10 minutes, then shower a handful of chocolate sprinkles over the top. Cut the cake in wedges to serve.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Luciana Barbosa
Nobody in Brazil uses coconut condensed milk for this… it may be an adaptation for making it lactose free.. (?) Make it with La Lechera condensed milk.. that’s what we use to make brigadeiro. It’s a great cake.
Jeanarie
Googling the topping helps! Authentic topping is made with condensed milk, plus a TBSP. Of butter and 200 grams of cream mixed in after thickening on the stove. Look it up.
Chickenfog
Did not make the topping. Cut the cake recipe in half and baked for 20 mins. Also, I made the whole thing in the food pro bc why dirty a bowl? I just dumped the dry into the food pro bowl and whirled w/ the wet. So easy. Nice color. A dense cake.
marilene
This is is one of the most popular cakes in every Brazilian home. I skip the rich condensed milk topping for a much simpler - but still delicious - mix of 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk, a bit of vanilla, 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Bea
I have made this cake for years with a half teaspoon of allspice.
Emily Segal
How about just eating it without any frosting?
mosaic
I like the cake. It is easy, minimal cleanup, a little dense, not too sweet. The topping, not so much. The topping doesn’t work for the cake or even to roll into balls like classic Brigadeiro. I threw the topping away and made a thinned coconut Brigadeiro. It worked well. 1 tablespoon butter 14 oz sweetened condensed milk 2/3 cup coconut milk coconut flake, as needed Simmer, stirring constantly until you can see the bottom of the pot for 1-2 seconds when dragging a spoon.
Richard
You could put applesauce on top if you want. The carrot police are not going to come after you.
Susan
There has to be something missing from the chocolate topping. Mixing the condensed coconut milk, cocoa and salt and cooking turns it into a chewy caramel - that while delicious is unspreadable. I was so excited about the cake, which was quite easy to make, but I braved forward with the topping as is and no have an impenetrable layer of caramel on top. I should have listened to my gut and added some 1/2 and 1/2 to it after I finished cooking it. Live and learn.
William Wroblicka
Sweetened condensed coconut milk can be rather easily made at home by simmering regular full-fat coconut milk in a pot on the stove until reduced by half and adding sugar or honey to taste. And although I haven't tried it, I'm thinking that substituting cream of coconut (e.g., Coco Lopez) might work as well.
A.M. Bremer
Sweetened condensed milk can be subbed for the sweetened condensed coconut milk, with no change in the amount needed. Lots of recipes call for exchanging the latter for the former for a vegan option.
Shelley
I agree with Marc Kegan. Used one can of light sweetened condensed milk with 3 tbs cocoa and it was more than enough (the rest will make awesome fudge sauce for ice cream). 5-7 minutes on the stove and I was good to go after letting it cool for 30’minutes and once on the cake, it thickened a bit more.
Edith
Can regular condensed milk be used?
SNL
I follow another popular baking blog and she regularly subs sour cream with Greek yoghurt/Greek style yoghurt. Whole milk yoghurt is slightly thinner so I would use the amount called for minus 2tbsp (I'm sure most people would do 1:1 but I like the option for adjustment). Just a small note - sour cream contains more fat than yog so the cake texture will be slightly more tender with SC than with yog (I noticed it in vanilla cake and in devil's food cake, but I think carrot cake worked fine 🙂)
Michele
Though it's more expensive, I almost always sub avocado oil for liquid oils in baking recipes. I don't bake enough to make it "too expensive" of a substitution, and I always feel better about what I'm eating. Also, avocado oil is a healthy fat (as far as I know)! And note, apparently not all avocado oils are "real"; I buy Chosen Foods brand from Amazon in a half-gallon jug using Subscribe & Save for best pricing, because this research shows it's reliable: https://studyfinds.org/best-avocado-oil/
Mary
Her topping recipe is so strange. I tried hers and it became chunky. 12-15 minutes is too long. I did the same measurement but used normal condensed milk. I put it on a VERY low heat until it was combined and warm, then I added 1 tablespoon of butter and a splash of milk. I warmed it all through until smooth and then poured it over the cake. It was perfect.
Becky
LOVED the cake and this is great because nut-free. Frosting is good, but a PITA because it's really sticky and messy. Second time I made it, subbed scratch cream cheese frosting, think chocolate buttercream would probably work too. My modifications: zest of one whole orange in with grated carrots. Add 1-2 TB of orange juice from the zested orange.
Crazy cat lady
I made this as written (almost), completely in the food processor: whiz the carrots, add the eggs, oil, sugar and (out of sour cream so had to sub) buttermilk, blend until smooth, pulse in the dry ingredients. Too easy. Alternative topping of milk, butter, cocoa, and sugar was just fine. An easy, moist, delicious cake.
Seth
If you substitute sweetened condensed milk for the condensed coconut milk, following the cooking instructions for the topping will result in scorched sludge. Seemed to me that about 5 minutes at medium-low worked, but that still required warming the topping when the cake was cool to get it spreadable.
Derek
have to reiterate comments made before me. the topping does not pair well with cake. great flavor but the consistency is that of a thick caramel candy. not only will it fail to spread but it will destroy your cake layer if you attempt to do so. if you do want to try with the original ingredients perhaps try a 5 min medium heat simmer instead of the recommended 12-15. but if i were to try the recipe again id google a separate recipe for the Brigadeiro.
Santi-yea
Dry cake and topping turned into a candy way too thick to spread.
annie
Can I use a springform pan?
judi g
Has anyone made a gluten free version of this?
Paula
It misses the butter in the topping!
Marian
I made this vegan by using powdered egg replacer and vegan sour cream. Delicious! I really liked the topping on this cake—it was unique and attractive. I’d also make this cake on its own to have with a big mug of tea for a less intense dessert.
Rogerio Lira
A Brazilian classic! Any form of ganache-like chocolate topping will make it legit enough. I prefer reducing the sugar amounts as Brazilian desserts can be cloyingly sweet. Agree with fellow commenter about adding a bit of allspice. Yum yum.
G Rush
Have to concur with several other comments. Amazing cake, great topping, but an odd combination. The cake seemed somewhat overwhelmed by the thick topping. I’d make both again but try to find different partners.
Susie
I thought the cake came out a bit dry so next time I’ll use less flour. Instead of the brigadeiro sauce I topped it with a maple sugar glaze. Yummy!
Bubula
I skipped the topping. used walnut oil and added one quarter cup each currants and chopped pecans to make a coffee cake.
Sarah.
First of all, this recipe is wrong. There's no kosher salt, no sour cream. The cake is literally 6 ingredients: 3 carrots (the way your heart wants them, roughly chopped to fit into the blender, no need to scrub if you don't want to.), 1/2 cup of any vegetable oil, 3 eggs (at any temperature, no one cares.), 2 cups of flour, 1tbsp of baking powder, and 1cup of sugar (or 1 1/2 cup if you would like sweeter like I do.). Search "brigadeiro" for the topping. NO SOUR CREAM, NO COCONUT, NO SALT.
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