What do you bake at home? I get asked this question all the time. Actually, I very rarely bake at home. Although my home kitchen is a normal size, with the normal amount of counter space, I always feel limited. In my bakery kitchen, I’m most at home. Especially on a Monday, when we’re closed, or in the early am or late pm when I can truly occupy every table if I feel like it.

‍ ‍ Am I the only person who sees a forecast for a heatwave and then starts to bake something?

I think it’s the same reaction to a winter blizzard forecast. We are gonna NEED sweets! At my home kitchen, there is no AC, and I have other limitations. I can’t find a cake tester or a cooling rack, and all my Kitchen Aid mixers end up at the bakery. Once Sweet Maria’s borrows them, they never return.

This Monday I felt compelled to bake myself a Carrot Blueberry Cake. I haven’t baked one in forever. I started thinking about it after a chat with a longtime customer. They loved this cake in the past and want me to bake one for their wedding cake. It’s just a variation of our popular carrot cake and a recipe that I shared in Sweet Maria’s Cake Kitchen cookbook many years ago. The original was inspired by a cake at Diorio’s restaurant, and the classic Good Housekeeping carrot cake.

Full disclosure, I mixed the batter at the bakery and brought it home to bake. And wow, the house smelled amazing. I may have to bake at home more often!

Print Recipe

CARROT BLUEBERRY CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

This latest version ups the amount of cinnamon and blueberries, and adds a little pop of orange. Perfect to bake and take along to the beach or a picnic, or to snack on chilling out in the AC. It’s yummy with or without the light cream creese glaze.

Makes one loaf, about 12 slices

2 cups flour

½ cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 eggs

¼ cup orange juice

1 ¼ cups vegetable oil

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups grated carrots

grated rind of one orange ( about 1 teaspoon)

2 cups fresh blueberries, cleaned and rinsed, and drained

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

¼ cup milk ( maybe less, you need just enough for the icing to come together )

1 cup confectioners sugar

Make cake. Preheat oven to 350 F.
Spray a large oaf pan with non stick cooking spray ( or grease and flour lightly) I used my vintage pyrex loaf pan. It’s a 1 qt. pan, measuring 8 × 4 × 2 ½ inches. (If your pans are smaller, just use two and bake for approximately 20 minutes less.) Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, ( or with a hand mixer) combine all dry ingredients. Mix on low just to incorporate.
Add eggs, orange juice, vanilla and vegetable oil. Mix on low until blended. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat on medium for about 1 minute until batter is smooth and a bit lighter in color.
Stir in carrots, blueberries and grated orange rind.
Pour into prepared pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with a fine crumb. Remove cake from the oven. Cool cake in pan 10 to 15 minutes.
Carefully remove cake from the pan and cool on a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before icing, if desired.
Make glaze. Combine confectioners sugar and cream cheese in a small bowl. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time to make icing to your preferred consistency. Mix with a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon until smooth.
Drizzle glaze on top of cooled cake. Garnish with additional grated orange rind.

Carrot Blueberry Cake

Making the Grade