Bolo de Cenoura (Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate Glaze)
Local name: Bolo de Cenoura com Cobertura de Chocolate
In short: A soft, bright orange cake made by blending raw carrots, eggs and oil, topped with a glossy cooked chocolate glaze. Brazil's favorite home cake. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Bolo de cenoura is the cake most Brazilians grew up with, baked for birthdays, afternoon coffee and school parties. The carrots are blended raw with eggs, oil and sugar, which gives a bright orange batter and a very moist, tender crumb. The cake is not spiced and has no nuts or cream cheese frosting. It is finished with a glossy cooked chocolate glaze that sets into a thin shell.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and flour a 23 x 33 cm (9 x 13 in) baking pan.
- Blend the carrots, eggs, oil and sugar in a blender for 1 to 2 minutes, until completely smooth with no orange flecks.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in the blended mixture and whisk just until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- For the glaze, stir the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, stirring, until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Pour the hot glaze over the warm cake and spread it evenly. Let it set for 20 minutes before cutting into squares.
Tips
- Blend until the batter is completely smooth. Any carrot flecks will show in the finished crumb.
- If the glaze thickens too much before you pour it, stir in a spoonful of warm milk. Pour it while the cake is still warm for the best shine.
Questions and answers
Does bolo de cenoura taste like carrots?
Only mildly. The carrots add sweetness, moisture and color, and the chocolate glaze dominates, so most people cannot name the vegetable.
How long does the cake keep?
Covered at room temperature it keeps for 3 days, or for 5 days in the fridge. Bring chilled slices to room temperature before serving.
Can I bake it in a round pan?
Yes. A 24 cm (9 1/2 in) round pan takes about 40 to 45 minutes. Check with a skewer, then cool for 10 minutes and glaze as in the recipe.
How long does it take to make Bolo de Cenoura (Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate Glaze)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bolo de Cenoura (Brazilian Carrot Cake with Chocolate Glaze)?
About 420 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 58 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 420 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 58 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 40 g |
| Sodium | 200 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
