Orange Glazed Carrot Bundt Cake for Easter
A moist, warmly spiced carrot bundt cake finished with a bright, glossy orange glaze that drips into every ridge—perfect as an Easter or spring dessert centerpiece.
Equipment
- 10–12 cup bundt pan
- Oven
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Box grater
- Wire rack
- Sifter (optional)
- Skewer or thin knife (for doneness test)
Ingredients
For the carrot bundt cake
- 300 g all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (about 2 1/2 cups)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves or extra cinnamon if you prefer it milder
- 200 g granulated sugar about 1 cup
- 110 g light brown sugar firmly packed (about 1/2 cup)
- 240 ml neutral oil such as canola, sunflower, or grapeseed (about 1 cup)
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 360 g finely grated carrots about 3 packed cups, from 4–5 medium carrots
- 100 g pecans or walnuts finely chopped (about 1 cup); optional
- 1 tbsp orange zest finely grated (from 1 large orange)
For the glossy orange glaze
- 240 g powdered sugar sifted (about 2 cups)
- 3–4 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice plus more as needed
- 1–2 tsp orange zest finely grated
- 15 g unsalted butter melted (about 1 tbsp); or use neutral oil for dairy-free
- 1 pinch fine salt
Optional garnish
- orange zest curls
- chopped toasted nuts for around the base
- edible flowers optional; ensure they are safe to eat
Instructions
- Prepare the pan and oven: Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 175°C / 350°F. Generously grease a 10–12 cup bundt pan, working into every ridge. Lightly dust with flour, then tap out excess.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine sugars and wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk granulated sugar and brown sugar until no large lumps remain. Add oil and whisk until thick and glossy. Whisk in eggs one at a time until incorporated. Stir in vanilla extract and orange zest.
- Fold in the dry ingredients: Add about half of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Add remaining flour and fold again, stopping as soon as dry streaks disappear.
- Add carrots and nuts: Fold grated carrots into the batter until evenly distributed. If using nuts, fold them in at the end so they don’t clump.
- Fill the pan: Scrape batter into the prepared bundt pan, pressing gently into crevices. Smooth the top and tap the pan firmly on the counter 2–3 times to release large air pockets.
- Bake: Bake 45–55 minutes, until deeply golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If browning too fast around 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil for the final 5–10 minutes.
- Cool in the pan briefly: Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool 15 minutes. Run a thin, flexible spatula or plastic knife around the center tube and outer edges if needed to loosen.
- Invert and cool completely: Place a cooling rack on top of the pan, invert, and lift off the pan (tap the inverted pan a few times if it resists). Cool completely, at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours, before glazing.
- Make the orange glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons orange juice, orange zest, melted butter, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add a few drops more orange juice as needed until thick but pourable in a slow ribbon.
- Glaze the cake: Set the cooled cake on a rack over parchment or a tray. Spoon glaze evenly over the cake so it cascades down the ridges. For a glossier, slightly thicker look, let the first layer set 10–15 minutes, then drizzle a second thin layer.
- Finish and set: While glaze is soft, garnish with extra zest, nuts, or edible flowers if desired. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes for the glaze to set before slicing.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 6gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 260mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 4200IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 1.8mg
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