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Brazilian-Style Chocolate-Glazed Carrot Cake
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The Brazilian baked sweet bolo de cenoura—which translates from the Portuguese as, simply, “carrot cake”—is a homey, nearly failsafe dessert that finishes a brilliantly hued orange cake with a glossy chocolate glaze. To make the batter, raw carrots, sugar, oil and eggs are blitzed in a blender, then whisked into dry ingredients. We swapped in coconut cream for some of the oil to give the crumb rich, tropical notes and added orange zest to brighten the flavor. It’s best to measure the carrots by weight; too much makes the cake heavy and dense. The classic glaze is similar to the Brazilian chocolate truffle confections called brigadeiros, but we opted for an easier mixture of chocolate thinned with orange juice. Though we usually prefer bittersweet chocolate, the milder flavor of semisweet is better here. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
12 to 14
Servings
Don’t use regular nonstick cooking spray instead of baking spray, as the cake has a tendency to stick. If you don’t have baking spray, mix 2 tablespoons flour and 1½ tablespoons oil to form a thin paste, then use a pastry brush or paper towel to coat the entire inside of the pan. Be sure to use coconut cream, not cream of coconut or coconut milk. And don’t skip straining any pulp out of the orange juice.
1½ hours
30 minutes active, plus cooling
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260
grams (2 cups) all-purpose flour
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2
teaspoons baking powder
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½
teaspoon table salt
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342
grams (12 ounces) carrots, peeled and cut into rough 1-inch chunks (about 2 cups)
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321
grams (1½ cups) white sugar
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¾
cup coconut cream (from a 5.4-ounce can)
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½
cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
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3
large eggs
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2
teaspoons grated orange zest
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2
teaspoons vanilla extract
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113
grams (4 ounces) semisweet chocolate (see headnote), finely chopped
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¼
cup strained orange juice
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1
teaspoon grapeseed or other neutral oil
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Chocolate or colored sprinkles, chocolate pearls or roughly chopped cocoa nibs, for sprinkling (optional)
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01Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan with baking spray, including the center tube and all crevices. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
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02In a blender, combine the carrots, sugar, coconut cream, oil, eggs, orange zest and vanilla. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the jar as needed. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk gently until smooth; the batter will be thin. Transfer to the prepared pan.
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03Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Run a small silicone spatula between the edges of the cake and the pan to loosen the sides; invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
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04To make the glaze, put the chocolate in a medium bowl. In a microwave-safe liquid measuring cup or small bowl, heat the orange juice on high until just beginning to simmer, about 40 seconds. (Alternatively, in a small saucepan over medium, bring the juice to a bare simmer.) Immediately pour 3 tablespoons juice over the chocolate, then gently shake the bowl to fully submerge the chocolate; let stand until the chocolate softens, about 2 minutes.
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05Gently whisk the chocolate mixture until smooth. Add the oil, then whisk again until smooth and shiny. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature, about 10 minutes. The glaze should have the consistency of pourable yogurt. If it is too thick, whisk in the remaining orange juice 1 teaspoon at a time (it’s fine if the juice has cooled).
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06Transfer the cake to a platter. Using a large spoon, drizzle the glaze onto the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Garnish with sprinkles (if using), then dust off any sprinkles that landed on the platter. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.