Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep & Preheat
- First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grease a 9x13 inch pan or line it with parchment paper. This ensures your beautiful cake won't stick.
Carrot & Pecan Prep
- Take your fresh carrots and grate them finely. Then, chop your pecans. These fresh ingredients are key to the cake's texture and flavor.
Begin the Sourdough Fermentation (The Unique Twist)
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the heritage whole grain flour (einkorn or spelt), the 3/4 cup oil, and the 1/2 cup sourdough starter. Mix these ingredients until they are just combined, forming a thick, shaggy paste.
- Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow this mixture to ferment at room temperature. This extended long fermentation should last an additional 4-6 hours, making the total fermentation time for this initial mixture between 12-18 hours.
- After this period, you should notice the mixture is slightly puffed and bubbly, thickened, and will have a distinct, mild tangy aroma. This is a sign that the fermentation process is working its magic, deepening flavors and improving digestibility.
Complete the Wet Ingredients
- Once your initial sourdough fermentation is complete, whisk the 4 large eggs, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla into the fermented flour mixture until well combined. This creates a wonderfully rich and aromatic wet base for our cake.
Combine Dry Ingredients
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons cinnamon. Ensure all the dry ingredients are evenly distributed.
Integrate Wet & Dry
- Now, gently add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just incorporated. The key here is not to over mix; stop as soon as no streaks of dry flour remain. Over mixing can overdevelop the gluten, resulting in a tough cake.
Fold in Carrots & Pecans
- Finally, stir in your grated carrots and fold in the chopped pecans. Distribute them evenly throughout the batter.
Bake
- Pour the prepared batter into your greased or parchment-lined 9x13 inch pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, and the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Be careful not to over-bake, as this can lead to a dry cake.
Cool Completely
- Once baked, allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack before even thinking about frosting it. This step is crucial; attempting to frost a warm cake will only result in melted, messy frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cake cools, let's make that irresistible cream cheese frosting! To a stand mixer, add softened cream cheese and softened butter. Whip them together for a few minutes until they are perfectly smooth and fluffy.
- Slowly pour in the 3 cups of confectioners’ sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Adding the sugar slowly prevents a powdered sugar cloud in your kitchen.
- Whip until the frosting is nice and fluffy, light, and spreadable. Finally, fold in the second cup of chopped pecans, if you desire an extra nutty crunch in your frosting. Then, frost your completely cooled cake generously.
Nutrition
Notes
This recipe features a unique long fermentation for 12-18 hours, which deeply enhances flavor, moisture, and digestibility. Using freshly milled heritage grains further boosts nutrition and texture. Allow cake to cool fully before frosting. You can adapt this for cupcakes (approx. 24, bake 18-22 min) or round layers (2x 8/9-inch, bake 25-35 min). Always use fresh carrots and leavening agents for best results. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.