Check out our best dessert for Diwali, popular Christmas holiday desserts. Jump to:Recipe cardCarrot halwa cake - a special festival and holiday recipeIngredientsHow to make Indian carrot cake?Making of sour cream glazeChef TipsMore quick and sweet bread recipesUser Reviews
Recipe card
Carrot halwa cake - a special festival and holiday recipe
Carrot Halwa is a delicious, melt-in-mouth Indian pudding dessert prepared using carrots, milk or condensed milk, desi ghee, cardamom powder, and dry fruits and nuts. In India, gajar ka halwa is prepared during winter months as carrots are in season. And here in the USA, many of my friends prepare carrot cake for Christmas parties and easter brunch. I have combined my two favorite things, halwa and cake, and prepared this decadent carrot halwa cake. Gajar halwa cake is one of the best fusion desserts you can make for Diwali parties or Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. If you like this, also check out our fusion carrot burfi ice cream recipe.
Ingredients
Carrot halwa: classic Indian carrot dessert made using simple ingredients and shortcut methods. Baking powder: helps the cake rise. Flour: Holds everything together. Milk: Makes the cake rich and moist Oil: Add moisture and texture. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Indian carrot cake?
To prepare Carrot Halwa Cake, in a large bowl, add dry ingredients, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and mix. Add wet ingredients - milk, oil, vanilla extract, and mix until everything comes together. Do not over-mix the batter. Fold in the Carrot Halwa. Transfer the batter to a greased loaf pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until done. That is, a toothpick or knife, when inserted, comes out clean.
Making of sour cream glaze
In a bowl, whisk together confectioner sugar, vanilla extract, and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Drizzle this on top of the cake and then garnish it with some almonds, pistachios, or pecans.
Chef Tips
The batter for carrot halwa cake should be slightly thinner than regular muffin batter. If the cake batter becomes too thin, add more flour, and if it becomes too thick, add milk. This carrot cake loaf recipe is eggless. You can make it vegan by substituting milk with almond milk or coconut milk. I have not added any nuts and dry fruits to my cake batter as I have already added them while preparing Carrot Halwa Dessert. If you do not have carrot halwa, add 3 cups of grated carrot, 2 tablespoon each of almonds, cashews, and raisins, ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder, 3 tablespoon of ghee or melted butter in a bowl and mix. Add this along with flour to the recipe. Then, add the wet ingredients to form the batter and bake.
You can add the carrots directly, but note that the caramelized flavor will be missing. Add spices like saffron, a pinch of nutmeg, and cloves to make it even more flavorful. Any leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If you have leftover carrot halwa post Diwali or any festival or special occasion, give this gajar ka halwa cake a try.
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