4 Decadent Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee Recipes That Truly ‘Take The Cake’
Tasty dishes, delicious drinks, and decadent desserts are commonly tied to specific seasons.
Most often, this relationship is linked to the various ingredients used in these concoctions - for instance, the sweet flavors of berries combined with the tartness of lemon make us think of summer, and the cooling effects of peppermint prompt our minds to think of winter’s chill.
Likewise, warming spices such as cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg can bring to mind autumn scenes fading into cool, crisp winter mornings.
Or, do they?
We typically associate spices, such as those listed above, with cooler months, but there’s one dessert which incorporates a blend of these rich, earthy treasures that actually turns our thoughts (and our tummies) towards spring!
Maybe it’s the combination of this warmth with the sweet touch of rich and decadent cream cheese frosting?
Or, perhaps it’s the soft hint of slightly sweet carrots that give a nod to blooming flowers, budding trees, and playful bunnies, a trio which turns our hearts away from winter’s chill, ready to fully embrace the spring season and all the wonderful moments that arrive with it?
No matter the root and reason, when used in carrot cake, warming spices most commonly associated with fall and winter lend their spotlight to spring, making this traditional Easter-time dessert come to life, balancing sweetness while also allowing you to fully experience the symphony of flavors that combine to make this rich, decadent, and delightful dessert.
And truly, that’s the magic of food, right?
Flavors combine, oftentimes in an unexpected way, and the end result is sheer enjoyment, pure delight, and if you ask me, one of life’s simple pleasures.
Of course, every coffee lover knows the power of this brew to enhance the flavors we enjoy most, especially those typically used in sweet treats.
Sure, sipping a smooth, bold cup of coffee can accurately be described as one of life’s simple pleasures on its own, but when enjoyed alongside a slice of spicy, sweet, and decadently flavorful carrot cake, what could top that…
…perhaps a cup of rich, smooth coffee infused with the fabulous flavors of this spring-time staple? You know, all of the flavor minus the sugar rush, all of the flavor minus the calories, all of the flavor minus the hours slaving away in the kitchen mixing, baking, icing, and more.
Mmmm, sounds like a great way to enjoy the best of both worlds if you ask me!
Bold, smooth coffee, warm spices, rich and buttery cream cheese, sweet, velvety vanilla, now that’s one special cup!
Our Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee allows you to savor each of these flavors, sip after sip, but as we’ve detailed thus far, when it comes to foods and beverages, the addition of just a few ingredients can truly enhance these decadent tastes, taking any dish or drink to the next level.
So today, you’re in for a treat as we embark on a mission to take the classic flavors of carrot cake and rich, bold coffee to that next level, highlighting and complementing these classics in lattes, cold brews, milkshakes, and more!
Carrot Cake Coffee Classics - Lattes, Cold Brews, Milkshakes, And More!
1- Carrot Cake Coffee Ice Cream
Honestly, I see no need for explanation here - carrot cake coffee ice cream, I mean, what more can you say?
Hmmm, well, maybe there are a few things to mention…
This recipe will include all the ingredients to make (as the title states) carrot cake coffee ice cream, however, here’s a few suggestions:
- If you’d like a stronger coffee flavor, instead of using cold brew, plan to brew using a french press. This will yield a very potent coffee flavor, and you can simply chill this prior to using it in the recipe.
- If you’d like a standalone carrot cake ice cream, simply omit the coffee. I mean, we all know we’ll be enjoying a cup on the side anyways, right?
- Love an affogato? Plan to make this ice cream without the coffee, and enjoy a scoop topped with a freshly brewed cup of Lifeboost Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee or a few freshly pulled shots of Lifeboost Espresso Coffee. Start with a spoon, then transition to sips if desired.
- If you really want to take this one over the top and you happen to have some fresh carrot cake ready to use, plan to prepare this recipe as is, then when the ice cream is almost set, cut several cubes of carrot cake and fold these pieces into the ice cream. Allow it to set completely, then enjoy!
Ingredients
- 8 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cups finely shredded carrots
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups heavy cream
- ⅓ cup toasted, chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Combine butter, carrots, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until carrots are beginning to get tender (roughly 5 minutes).
- Once carrots are beginning to soften, add cinnamon and ginger. Cook for one more minute, then turn off heat, stir in coffee, and allow the mixture to cool.
- While the mixture is cooling, combine softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla in a mixing bowl, whisking together until smooth.
- Stir the carrot and coffee mixture into the whisked cream cheese until fully combined, then transfer to the refrigerator while completing the next steps.
- Add heavy cream to a chilled mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until medium stiff peaks form.
- Add cooled carrot-cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and whisk to incorporate.
- Fold in pecans and walnuts, then transfer the mixture to an airtight container.
- Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over/on the mixture, then cover with a lid and freeze until solid. (4 hours, or overnight for best results)
2- Carrot Cake Chai Cold Brew
A dirty chai combines the spicy flavors of chai tea with bold, decadent coffee, and (said in my best Matthew Perry voice) could there be a better carrot cake match than this?
Chai tea shares some of the same spices we know and love in a great carrot cake, and in this treat these flavors truly shine, swirling amidst coffee, sweet brown sugar carrot syrup, and a decadent cream cheese frosting cold foam.
Yum! And yes, please!
Of course, if you’re not a fan of chai tea, you can always skip the chai here, instead opting for 8 ounces of cold brew.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee
- 2 ounces chai tea, brewed and chilled (see steps in instructions below)
- 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar carrot syrup (see recipe below)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons half and half
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- Ice
- Ground cinnamon, for garnish
- Grated carrots, for garnish
Instructions
- Add 1 chai tea bag to 2 ounces boiling water (roughly 200-212 degrees fahrenheit). Allow the tea to steep for 3-5 minutes, then remove the tea bag and set the tea aside to cool.
- Add ice to a tall glass, then top with cold brew, chai tea, milk, and brown sugar carrot syrup, stirring to combine.
- Add softened cream cheese and powdered sugar to a small bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth. Add heavy cream and half and half to the mixture and whip until a smooth foam forms.
- Top cold brew mixture with cream cheese frosting cold foam.
- Garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon and a touch of grated carrots and enjoy!
Brown Sugar Carrot Syrup
- ¾ cup carrot juice
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Add carrot juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan over medium heat.
Simmer, stirring continuously, until sugar is dissolved, but be careful not to allow the mixture to boil.
After roughly 5 minutes, once a syrup is starting to form, remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
Once cooled, strain out the cinnamon sticks.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. *Stir or shake prior to use as the carrot juice may settle.
3- Carrot Cake Horchata Latte (Hot or Iced)
Popular in Mexico and other Latin American countries, horchata is a sweet, spicy treat made with rice, water, cinnamon, and sugar.
When made from scratch, rice, cinnamon, and water are blended to make a spiced milk, the milk forming from the combination of rice starch and water.
Here, we’ll skip a few steps, instead simply combining classic horchata flavors through the addition of rice milk, almond milk, and cinnamon along with frosted carrot cake coffee and the brown sugar carrot syrup you made from the recipe above.
In a word…yum!
And, this one’s super easy to make iced as well, so feel free to try both ways and let us know which is your favorite!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces freshly brewed Lifeboost Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup rice milk
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar carrot syrup (see recipe in #2 above)
Instructions
- Add rice milk, almond milk, cinnamon, and brown sugar carrot syrup to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat just until warmed through and fully incorporated.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Add mixture to a blender and blender until frothy.
- Add freshly brewed coffee to your favorite mug, top with frothed rice milk mixture, and enjoy!
*If you’d like to enjoy this treat iced, simply add vanilla, almond milk, rice milk, cinnamon, and brown sugar carrot syrup to a blender and blend until fully combined and frothy.
Add ice to a tall glass, pour 6 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee over ice, then top with blended semi-homemade carrot cake horchata mixture. Enjoy!
4- Carrot Cake Coffee Shake
Carrot cake coffee shake…that sounds like a new dance craze!
But, since one sip of this shake will have you two-stepping, then I’d say that title is entirely appropriate.
Hints of carrot, lots of creamy sweetness, a touch of spice, and flavors of decadently smooth coffee? Oh yes, dancing (or shaking) is definitely an appropriate response!
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 4 ounces cold brewed Lifeboost Frosted Carrot Cake Coffee
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 2 ½ cups vanilla ice cream
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ cup finely shredded carrots
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Whipped cream (optional for topping)
- Nutmeg, optional for topping
Instructions
- *You can add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend on high until smooth and creamy; however, sometimes softened cream cheese can firm up again when introduced to cold ingredients. If this happens, you can proceed in the following manner to avoid this:
- Add softened cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, sweetened condensed milk, maple syrup, shredded carrots, and spices to a mixing bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add milk, coffee and cream cheese mixture to a blender and blend slowly until fully incorporated and smooth, then add vanilla ice cream and blend on high until creamy.
- Pour milkshake into a tall glass, top with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg if desired and enjoy!
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Frosted Carrot Cake.