For A Tastier Carrot Cake, You Need To Perfect This Element

Carrot cake, which supposedly dates back to the Middle Ages, is a tapestry of contradictions. It's sweet and savory, fruit and veg, luxe and velvety cream alongside the crunch of chopped nuts. To take your cake to the next level, you need to do as the masters do: make sure the spice balance is just right. The secret is to find a spice combo that lets the carrots' flavors sing without overpowering them. To learn how, we caught up with Eric Lanlard, the baker, pastry chef, author, and TV host of "Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard" and "Glamour Puds."

"I love my carrot cake to be spicy, but not overpowering and certainly not hot," Lanlard told Chowhound in an exclusive conversation. He says the key note should be cinnamon, but he always adds a bit of nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. He also balances those flavors with a hefty dose of Nielsen-Massey bourbon vanilla bean paste for a well-rounded, sweet-spicy flavor. These additions let the main ingredients shine rather than overshadowing them.

There are plenty of other ways you can play around with your carrot cake recipe. Eric Lanlard is a "big fan" of Middle Eastern baking and flavors. He says: "[I]t is easy to change the classic recipe to give this Middle-Eastern-esque taste by using cardamom, rose water extract, and whole pistachio nuts for this Arabian Nights carrot cake." To give your dessert a further Levantine spin, we'd suggest whipping up a creamy labneh frosting, or sprinkling some pomegranate molasses on top as a finishing touch.

The icing is truly the star of the show. Ina Garten uses crystalized ginger to add some heat to her carrot cake frosting, and if cream cheese isn't your thing, you can try using condensed milk frosting or buttercream as a substitute. Browned butter can also add richness to the icing, but when it comes to the fat in the cake itself, ditch the butter and use vegetable oil instead for a deliciously dense texture.

And in terms of add-ins, feel free to experiment. Whether you use pineapple, walnuts, currants, or pecans, mixing in a few ingredients can elevate your baked good. But less is more: Keep things simple and stick to one or two additions, such as the classic fruit and nut pairing. You may even want to try soaking the raisins in hot Earl Grey tea first to add another layer of flavor. But if you've nailed the spice blend, play around with other carrot cake enhancements for a dessert that not only tastes delicious, but looks a treat too.