Prep Time::25 mins
Cook Time::45 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr 10 mins
Servings::8
Yield::8 servings
Ingredients
butter
9 ounces purple carrots, finely grated
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¼ cup light vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon purple food coloring (Optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
Combine grated carrots, brown sugar sugar, white sugar, and lemon zest in a bowl. Toss to coat and allow the natural juices to come out. Set aside.
Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a separate bowl.
Whisk eggs, applesauce, oil, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Add flour mixture 1/4 cup at a time, mixing until just combined. Fold in carrot-sugar mixture with all the juice that has accumulated. Add food coloring. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
Cool cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges of the pan to loosen. Invert cake carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely.
Cook's Note:
If you want to frost the cake, let cool completely and add a bit of purple food coloring to your favorite cream cheese frosting.