Peeps Carrot Bundt Cake

Peeps Carrot Bundt Cake is the ultimate Easter dessert. It's moist with classic carrot cake flavors and textures, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, and decorated with green coconut "grass" and marshmallow peeps!

David Murphy

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 55

Additional Time 30

Total Time 2

Serving Size

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ginger spice
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1.5 cups 3 sticks of butter sticks at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs large at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup kefir sour cream or yogurt may be substituted
2 3/4 cups grated carrots about 9 carrots
1 cup chopped nuts optional
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
3 cups icing sugar sifted
Green food coloring
2 cups shredded coconut flakes

Instructions

For the Bundt Cake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
Generously grease and flour your bundt pan
Using a hand held grater or food processor, grate your carrots untill you have 2 3/4 cup of shredded carrots. Set aside
2 3/4 cups grated carrots
In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingrediends: salt, flour, spices, baking powder & soda, set aside
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ginger spice, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1 tsp cinnamon
In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer or if you are using a hand held mixer - a large bowl, beat the butter with the brown sugar until smooth and creamy
1/2 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar
Add the eggs, and vanilla to the sugar-butter mixture and beat again until well combined
3 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 cup kefir
Stir the grated carrots into the wet mixure from step 6
If you are adding nuts, stir them in with the sugar, butter and carrots at this time.
Gradually add your dry ingredients to your wet mixture a 1/2 cup at a time to ensure it is well distributed and no lumps form
Carefully spoon the cake mixture into the well greased bundt pan
Place in the middle of the oven
Bake for approximately 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
Rest in the pan for 10 minutes
After 10 minutes, invert the bundt pan over a cooling rack
Allow the cake to fully cool before frosting
While the cake cools, prepare your cream cheese frosting (see below)
While the cake cools, prepare your green coconut grass (see below)
Decorate the cake by using spoon and an offset spatula to gently apply the cream cheese frosting to the top portion of the bundt cake.
Unwrap and separate your peep bunnies and place firmly into the frosting at regular intervals along the top of the cake.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Gather butter and cream cheese and allow to come to room temperature
1.5 cups 3 sticks of butter sticks at room temperature, 8 oz cream cheese
Sift the icing sugar and set aside
3 cups icing sugar
In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer combine the butter and cream cheese and beat until smooth and well combined
Add the vanilla and beat again to incorporate
1 tsp vanilla
Add your sifted icing sugar a cup at a time, beating slowly after each to achieve a smooth frosting.

For the Coconut Grass:

Measure and add the coconut to the large food storage bag
2 cups shredded coconut flakes
Drop 4-6 drops of green food coloring into the bag and seal well
Green food coloring
Shake the bag to distribute the food coloring
Adjust the color saturation by adding more coloring in needed

Notes

All ingredients must be at room temperature to avoid a lumpy batter.
If your frosting is too thick for your liking, add in some milk one teaspoon at a time till you achieve the desired consistency.
Let the cake cool down before you decorate it with the cream cheese frosting, or you will end up with a runny mess.
Don’t overmix the batter or you will create a dense cake instead of a light and fluffy bundt cake.
Some recipes call for a light dusting of the greased pan with flour as an extra way to prevent the baked cake from sticking to the pan. I haven't found this to be necessary for this carrot bundt cake recipe, but you are welcome to take this extra precautionary measure, if you like.