Get Your Beta-Carotene Fix With These 7 Easy Carrot Recipes

Bite Me More | November 13th, 2016

Photos: Bite Me More

Ready for love at first sight (and taste)? Try these awesomely delicious and easy carrot recipes, everything from soups and smoothies to cake and cupcakes!

1. Carrot Bread with Cream Cheese Glaze (above)

This carrot bread recipe is the best. And, by the best, we mean that not only is it super easy to make and delicious to eat, but it also gives us permission to devour scrumptious, moist carrot bread (really, cake) drizzled with cream cheese glaze (really, icing) for breakfast!

Ingredients

Moist Carrot Bread

2¼ cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¾ cup vegetable oil
¾ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups coarsely grated carrots

Cream Cheese Glaze

4oz cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup icing sugar
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 325ºF. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, draping it over the edges to cover the sides. Lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.

2) In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract. Gently stir in grated carrots and flour mixture, just until blended. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 65-70 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

3) For the glaze, using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle over cooled carrot bread.

Serves 10-12

2. Apple, Carrot & Ginger Smoothie

This vitamin-packed apple, carrot and ginger smoothie, the perfect combination of sweet and slightly spicy, will fill you up and power you through the day.

Ingredients

½ cup apple juice
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
¼ cup applesauce
¼ tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp kosher salt
4-6 ice cubes

Directions

Place apple juice, carrots, applesauce, ginger, cinnamon, salt and ice cubes in a blender. Blend for 30-60 seconds until well combined. Pour into a tall glass and serve immediately.

Serves 1

3. Carrot Cake Pancakes

Want to have your cake and eat it too? You can (and for breakfast!!!) with these incredible Carrot Cake Pancakes. Drizzled with a cream cheese topping and sprinkled with a vanilla wafer crumble, these decadent and fluffy pancakes are the perfectly delicious and tasty way to eat dessert for breakfast.

Ingredients

Carrot Cake Pancakes

2¼ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp pumpkin pie spice
1¾ cups buttermilk
¼ cup butter, melted
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups finely grated carrots, pat dry on paper towel

Cream Cheese Topping

4 oz cream cheese
6 tbsp icing sugar
3 tbsp whole milk
½ tsp vanilla extract

Crumble Topping

½ cup vanilla wafer crumbs
½ cup brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted

Directions

1) For the pancakes, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir milk mixture and grated carrots into the dry ingredients. Do not over-mix (lumps are okay in the batter). Let the batter rest while the skillet heats up.

2) Heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. Coat the skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon ¼ cup pancake batter into the hot skillet. Cook until bubbles form, then flip over and cook on the other side until golden. Keep warm in 200ºF oven or serve immediately. To serve, stack pancakes, drizzle with cream cheese topping and sprinkle vanilla wafer crumble over top.

3) For the cream cheese topping, using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, icing sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Can be refrigerated until ready to use over pancakes.

4) For the crumble topping, preheat oven to 350ºF. In a small bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Place mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 6 minutes and then remove from oven and let cool. Crumble over pancakes.

Yield: 15 pancakes

4. Carrot Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

If you’re as obsessed with carrot cake as we are, you’re going to love having your very own little cake, these simply scrumptious Carrot Cupcakes slathered in a smooth lemon cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients

Carrot Cupcakes

¾ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
1½ cups shredded carrots

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (4oz) package cream cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
2½ cups icing sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest

Coarsely chopped toasted walnuts, for garnish

Directions

1) To make the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350ºF and line 12 muffin cup holders with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vegetable oil. Continue to whisk until mixture is well combined. Add pineapple juice and vanilla, whisking well to incorporate. Fold in flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and shredded carrots until just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Fill prepared muffin tins ¾ full and bake for 22 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

2) For the frosting, in an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until well combined. On low speed, add icing sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat for 30 seconds more on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Spread frosting on cooled cupcakes and garnish with chopped walnuts.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

5. Light Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

As far as food folklore goes, “carrot cake is healthy” is right up there with “lobsters scream when boiled.” So not true. Until now. By cutting the oil in half, lessening the number of egg yolks and upping the carrot quotient, Lisa has once again proven the impossible.

Ingredients

Moist Carrot Cake
2 cups flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
3 cups shredded carrots (approx. 6-7 carrots)

Cream Cheese Icing
3 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 (8oz/250g) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray.

2) For the cake, in a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir to combine. Make a well in the center and set aside.

3) In a medium bowl, whisk oil, buttermilk, vanilla, whole eggs plus 2 egg whites. Along with shredded carrots, add to flour mixture, stirring just until ingredients are incorporated and flour has disappeared. Divide batter evenly into prepared cake pans and bake 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing and cool completely on wire racks before icing.

4) For the icing, in a large bowl beat icing sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla on low speed until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium speed for 30 seconds, until smooth and creamy.

5) To ice the cake, place 1 layer on a serving plate and spread with 3/4 cup of the icing. Top with remaining cake layer and spread remaining icing over the top and sides of the cake. Store cake in refrigerator.

Serves 10-12

6. Roasted Carrot Soup with Candied Pistachios

Get your beta-carotene fix with this awesomely delicious and easy soup recipe, a combination of sweet, oven-roasted carrots and parsnips that are pureed until velvety smooth. With ingredients found in your fridge and pantry, this roasted carrot soup is simple to whip up, and, topped with crunchy, candied pistachios, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Candied Pistachios

3 tbsp corn syrup
1 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp kosher salt
1¼ cups shelled pistachio nuts

Roasted Carrot Soup

2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 large parsnips, peeled and cut into 1½-inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp butter
¾ cup chopped red onion
8 cups chicken broth
¼ tsp kosher salt

Directions

1) For the pistachios, preheat oven to 325ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, salt and nuts. Spread on prepared baking sheet and bake 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely and chop into coarse pieces. These can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container.

2) For the soup, preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

3) In a large bowl, toss carrots, parsnips, olive oil, honey and 1/2 tsp salt. Pour onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake 35-40 minutes, stirring once halfway through. Remove from oven when carrots and parsnips are tender and lightly browned. Set aside.

4) In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender but not browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add the roasted carrots, parsnips and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until carrots and parsnips are extremely tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

5) Using a hand held or countertop blender, puree soup until smooth. Season with 1/4 tsp salt and garnish each serving with 1 tbsp chopped candied pistachios.

Serves 6-8

7. Sweet Carrot Pudding with Brown Sugar Drizzle

Who doesn’t love dessert, especially when it’s made of vegetables and served as a side dish? If you fall into this camp, you’re going to go wild for this Sweet Carrot Pudding. Not only does the sweetness of the carrots combine with cinnamon and orange flavors, but also the moist pudding is drizzled with a brown sugar sauce. Veggies never tasted so good!

Ingredients

Carrot Pudding

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1¼ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2½ cups coarsely grated carrots (5-6 carrots)

Brown Sugar Drizzle

1 cup packed brown sugar
1½ tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1) For the carrot pudding, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch round or square baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2) In an electric mixer, cream butter with brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg, orange juice and vanilla. Combine until well mixed.

3) In a medium bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Add flour mixture and grated carrots to butter-sugar mixture. Mix just until flour disappears making sure not to overmix the batter. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake 32-35 minutes or until golden around the edges.

4) For the brown sugar sauce, in a medium saucepan, whisk brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk in water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium, whisking constantly until sauce is smooth and has thickened slightly, 4-6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Serve drizzled over pieces of carrot pudding.

Serves 6-8

Authors of bestselling cookbooks Bite Me, Bite Me Too and Lick Your Plate, saucy sisters Julie Albert and Lisa Gnat love eating, feeding, entertaining and dishing up easy recipes at BiteMeMore.com.