Carrot Sheet Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting Recipe

So while Martinez knew she wanted to make the dessert her own, she was reluctant to stray too far from the original. Her recipe strikes the perfect balance by introducing just two non-traditional ingredients: piloncillo (unrefined whole cane sugar) and dulce de leche—both nods to Martinez’s Mexican heritage.

The piloncillo lends caramelized depth to the cake batter, while the dulce de leche gives the classic cream cheese frosting an added layer of richness and flavor. If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought dulce de leche (Martinez is a fan of Nestlé’s La Lechera), but don’t be tempted by pre-shredded carrots—grating them fresh makes a big difference in the final texture of the cake.

Regular carrots and rainbow carrots both work beautifully in this recipe, as do pecans, almonds, or cashews if you want to swap out the walnuts—just make sure they’re toasted. While the cake is plenty indulgent on its own, you can also follow Martinez’s lead and serve squares with vanilla or butter pecan ice cream.

For the frosting:

• One 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• One 8-oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup confectioners sugar

For the cake:

• Unsalted butter, for greasing
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
• 1½ tsp. baking soda
• 1½ kosher salt
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 1¼ cups vegetable oil
• 5 oz. piloncillo, grated (¾ cup), or substitute brown sugar or granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and shredded or coarsely grated (5⅓ cups)
• 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

• Make the dulce de leche: Remove the label from the can of condensed milk. Place the can in a large, deep pot, then add enough water to cover by at least 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, checking the water level every 30 minutes and adding more water as needed to keep the can submerged, about 2 hours 30 minutes. (Be sure to check the water level as the can might warp, split, or even explode if not fully submerged.) Using tongs, remove the can, transfer to a wire rack, and set aside to cool to room temperature before opening and using. (Do not attempt to open the can while it’s still hot.)
• Make the frosting: To a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and beat on medium-high until smooth. Turn the mixer to low, add the confectioners sugar and ½ cup of the dulce de leche, and mix until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer to medium-high and beat until smooth. (If using the mixer in step 5, transfer the frosting to a bowl, then wash and dry the mixer bowl.) Set aside.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 13-inch pan with butter and line with parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, or in a large bowl with a whisk, beat together the sugar, oil, piloncillo, and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to fully incorporate each before adding the next, and using a silicone spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Turn the mixer to low (if working by hand, switch to the spatula) and gradually add the flour mixture just until incorporated, then gently mix in the carrots and walnuts.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–50 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and set aside to cool completely.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, garnish with cinnamon, and serve.