Carrot Cake Tart with a Cream Cheese Glaze

Spring has SPRUNG! I’m so glad to see our grass again here in Southeastern Michigan. I’m doing cartwheels right now, just so you know. Spring makes me think about carrots for some reason. What about you? It’s Resurrection Day (what some call, Easter) so I wanted to make a special dessert to end our meal consisting of Roasted Leg of Lamb, Macaroni & Cheese and Greens. Uuuum boy! How about a carrot cake tart with a shortbread crust? Of course, we’ll top it with a cream cheese glaze! Sound like a plan?

To make the shortbread crust for the tart, combine 1 and 1/2 sticks of softened butter and sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment until blended. Add the egg until the yellow disappears and then the vanilla. Then add the flour on low until combined. Do not over mix. Flour your hands and press the dough mixture into a 12 inch tart pan along the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes.

Now get ready for the moistest carrot cake you’ve ever had! So moist…drool! Cream 6 T. of softened unsalted butter in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 1/2 cups of sugar and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 tsp. of baking soda, 1/2 tsp. Korintjie cinnamon (there’s that cinnamon again…it’s the best!), 1/8 tsp. of nutmeg, 1/8 tsp. of allspice and 1/4 tsp. of kosher salt. Now add your dry ingredients to your butter mixture, alternating with the egg and mix well.  Then add the 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract to combine. Now add 3/4 cups of grated carrots and 2 ounces of crushed pineapple (drained) and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Fold 1/4 cup of toasted pecans, 2 T. of toasted coconut and 2 T. of raisins. I think I added almost every ingredient left in the pantry…lol! Believe me, you won’t regret it! Pour into the crust and bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. BONUS: I had a little extra batter left to make a few cupcakes. 🙂

Ok. Hang in there! Just one more step! The Glaze!! Beat 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add 1/8 cup of sugar and mix until fluffy and then 1/2 tsp. of vanilla extract. In another bowl, beat 1/2 cup of really cold heavy whipping cream until you get those soft peaks (they will fold over when you hold the beater upright…yep, that’s soft). Now fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and pour over your cooled tart. Once chilled for at least an hour, top with caramel sauce and more toasted pecans. Say Grace and enjoy!

Carrot Cake Tart with a Cream Cheese Glaze

Felesha Bell

A creative fusion of traditional carrot cake and shortbread!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• Crust
• 1 1/2 sticks butter softened
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. Say Grace vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 c. flour
• Cake
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. Korintjie cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. Say Grace Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 c carrots grated
• 1/4 c pecans toasted
• 2 T. coconut toasted
• 2 T. raisins
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• 2 oz. crushed pineapple drained
• Glaze
• 4 oz. 114 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Store bought caramel topping garnish
• 1/4 cup pecans toasted, garnish

Instructions

 

• Combine butter and sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment until blended.
• Add the egg and mix just until the yellow disappears and then the vanilla extract.
• Add the flour on low until combined. Do not over mix.
• Flour your hands and press the dough mixture into a 12 inch tart pan along the bottom and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Cream the unsalted butter in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
• Add sugar and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, Korintjie cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and kosher salt.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, alternating with the egg and mix well.
• Add vanilla extract to combine.
• Add grated carrots and pineapple, then beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes.
• Fold in toasted pecans, toasted coconut and raisins.
• Pour into the crust and bake for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
• BONUS: I had a little extra batter left to make a few cupcakes.
• To make the glaze - Beat cream cheese until smooth.
• Add sugar and mix until fluffy and then the vanilla extract.
• In another bowl, beat heavy whipping cream until soft peaks are formed
• Now fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and pour over your cooled tart.
• Chill for at least an hour, top with caramel sauce and more toasted pecans. Say Grace and enjoy!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!