Carrot Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Frosting

Name: Carrot Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 10-12 people
Ingredients: FOR THE CAKE:; 1 lb (450 grams) carrots — peeled and chopped; 1 ¼ cups (140 grams) pecans; 3 oz dates — pitted and chopped; 1 cup packed (200g) brown sugar; 1/3 cup (75g) sugar; 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt; 3 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract); 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground allspice; 1 ¾ cups (225g) unbleached all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; FOR THE FROSTING:; 8 oz (250 grams) cream cheese — softened; 4 oz (125 grams) mascarpone; 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar; Zest and juice of 1 lemon; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste; 4 oz granola (for topping)

By Pascale Beale

Updated July 2026

BakingDessertFruit-ForwardLemonVegetarian

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Carrot Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Frosting

Photography by Pascale's Kitchen Studio

Total Time 1hr and 10-15 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 50-55 minutes

This recipe was inspired by a carrot cake I watched Australian cookbook author Donna Hay make — and once I had tasted it, I could not stop thinking about it. I have adapted it over the years, adding dates for depth and sweetness and a lemon mascarpone frosting that makes the whole thing sing. The food processor does all the work, which makes this far simpler than a traditional layered cake has any right to be. The granola topping adds a dramatic crunch that is a delicious counterpoint to the moist, tender cake beneath — and transforms what might otherwise be a fairly classic carrot cake into something altogether more interesting. It has become one of the most requested cakes at home, and once you make it you will understand why.

Ingredients

Yield: 10-12 people

FOR THE CAKE:
1 lb (450 grams) carrots — peeled and chopped
1 ¼ cups (140 grams) pecans
3 oz dates — pitted and chopped
1 cup packed (200g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (75g) sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 ¾ cups (225g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
FOR THE FROSTING:
8 oz (250 grams) cream cheese — softened
4 oz (125 grams) mascarpone
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
4 oz granola (for topping)

Preparation

1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch spring form pan, and then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2
Place the carrots and pecans into a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until finely chopped. Add the dates and sugars and process again until just combined.
3
Add the oil, yogurt, eggs and vanilla paste and process until just combined. It will look very wet at this stage – don’t panic!
4
Add the spices, flour, baking soda and baking powder and process for just a few seconds until the mixture has just come together.
5
Pour or scrape the cake batter into the prepared 8-inch round spring form pan. Bake for 50–55 minutes. When tested with a skewer it should come out just clean. Allow to cool in the tin. Once cooled, slice the cake in half, horizontally. Place the bottom half of the cake on a cake plate or cake stand.
6
To make the mascarpone frosting, place the cream cheese, mascarpone lemon juice and zest, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla in a food processor and process until smooth. This can be made ahead of time.
7
Spread one quarter of the frosting over the bottom layer of the cake. Place the second layer on top. Cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting and then top the cake with the granola.

Watch Pascale make this cake on her You Tube Channel HERE.

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Carrot Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Frosting

Preparation

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