Carrot Coffee Cake with Poppy Seed Streusel
Indulge in the perfect balance of cozy spices and nutty crunch with this Carrot Coffee Cake with Poppy Seed Streusel—a delightful twist on a classic dessert. Featuring moist grated carrots, a touch of applesauce for natural sweetness, and the option to add crunchy walnuts, this cake manages to be both light and flavorful. The showstopping topping is a buttery poppy seed streusel, offering a subtle nutty flavor and irresistibly crumbly texture. Whether you serve it as a comforting breakfast treat, an afternoon pick-me-up with coffee, or a crowd-pleasing dessert, this homemade coffee cake is sure to impress. Ready in just over an hour, it's easy to make yet elegant enough for special occasions.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1.5 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt
- 0.75 cup Granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup Brown sugar, packed
- 0.5 cup Vegetable oil
- 0.5 cup Unsweetened applesauce
- 2 Large eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 2 cups Grated carrots
- 0.5 cup Chopped walnuts (optional)
- 0.5 cup All-purpose flour (for streusel)
- 0.25 cup Brown sugar (for streusel)
- 1.5 tablespoons Poppy seeds
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter, cubed and cold
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x9-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, 0.5 cup of brown sugar, vegetable oil, and unsweetened applesauce. Mix until smooth.
Stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts (if using), ensuring they are evenly distributed.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
To make the poppy seed streusel, combine 0.5 cup of all-purpose flour, 0.25 cup of brown sugar, and 1.5 tablespoons of poppy seeds in a small bowl.
Cut in the cold, cubed unsalted butter using a pastry cutter or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cake batter in the pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve as is or with a drizzle of icing, if desired.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
438 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 20.8 g | 27% | |
| Saturated Fat | 5.3 g | 26% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 6.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 50 mg | 17% | |
| Sodium | 367 mg | 16% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 58.7 g | 21% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.6 g | 9% | |
| Total Sugars | 32.6 g | ||
| Protein | 5.9 g | 12% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.3 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 58 mg | 4% | |
| Iron | 1.8 mg | 10% | |
| Potassium | 160 mg | 3% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
