Swiss Carrot Cake Recipe (Rüblikuchen)
This Swiss carrot cake recipe is moist and fluffy, nutty and delicious and not too sweet. This Rüblikuchen is naturally gluten-free, replacing the flour with tons of ground hazelnuts. While the hazelnuts are not traditional in this cake (almonds are more traditional), I just love this unique, extra nutty take on this carrot cake so much!The grated carrots give it incredible moisture, while the cinnamon adds just enough warming flavor. The whipped, fluffy cream cheese frosting and the cute marzipan carrots set this cake apart and add a beautiful final touch.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 3971kcal
Equipment
- 1 springform pan 23 centimeters or 9 inches in diameter
- 1 Food Processor in case you are creating your own hazelnut flour with whole hazelnuts
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- 200 grams hazelnut flour or see note in case for using whole hazelnuts or almond flour instead
- 20 grams cornstarch
- 2 grams baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 250 grams carrots peeled and finely grated
- 4 eggs size US large
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 50 milliliters avocado oil
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 150 milliliters heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60 grams powdered sugar
- 40 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 60 grams cream cheese room temperature
- 1 pinch salt
Decorations:
- 60 grams marzipan Optional. 60 to 100 grams, depending on how large you make them.. Or almond paste. I use marzipan to to make carrots as garnish.
- food coloring Optional. I use natural coloring in green and orange to make the marzipan carrots.
- Krokant Optional. Krokant is a caramelized hazelnut topping that is commonly used in Germany and that you can easily make at home
Instructions
Cake Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 degrees Fahrenheit). Prep the springform with parchment paper by clipping a sheet of parchment on the bottom using the ring, then cut around it to remove any excess.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the hazelnut flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and cinnamon.200 grams hazelnut flour, 20 grams cornstarch, 2 grams baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Peel and finely grate the carrots, then stir them into the dry ingredients until all the carrot shreds are coated. This helps keep them from sinking in the cake.250 grams carrots
- Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites on high with the salt until almost stiff. Add in half of the sugar and beat on high until stiff and shiny, about 1 to 2 more minutes.4 eggs, 200 grams granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar, the avocado oil, and lemon zest until creamy, for just about one minute.50 milliliters avocado oil, 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Add the egg yolk mixture to the hazelnut-carrot mixture and stir until sticky and combined.
- Fold in the beaten egg white mixture until you see no more white streaks.
- Pour the batter into the prepped springform pan and bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes.
- Cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil so it doesn’t get too dark. Reduce the oven temperature to 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) and bake for an additional 13 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a couple of crumbs on it.
- Let the cake sit for 5 minutes, then carefully cut around the ring, release it, and move the cake from the springform bottom to a platter. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to cool completely, about 2 hours.
Frosting Instructions:
- While the cake cools, make the frosting. Using a hand-held mixer, beat the whipping cream on high until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.150 milliliters heavy whipping cream
- In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 60 grams powdered sugar, 40 grams unsalted butter, 60 grams cream cheese, 1 pinch salt
- Add the whipped cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth, about 15 seconds.
- Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake and decorate with Krokant and marzipan carrots, if using.60 grams marzipan, food coloring
Video
Notes
Marzipan carrots: I use marzipan or almond paste to make the small carrots on the cake, which is the traditional Swiss and German way. The amount of paste used depends on how large you like the carrots to be.
For the pictured 12 carrots, I used a total of 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of marzipan and colored ¼ of it with green natural food coloring and ¾ of it with orange natural food coloring, then shaped the decorative carrots. But I have also made them more petite before, using only the 60 grams (2 ounces) listed in the recipe. After shaping, cover them with plastic wrap until you're ready to place them on your carrot cake. This is so they don’t dry out.
Use whole hazelnuts: If using whole hazelnuts, start by chopping your nuts in the food processor until they clump together, about 30 seconds to one minute.
Nut substitution: While I love using hazelnuts in this recipe, the traditional Swiss version is usually made using almond flour (skins removed) or ground almonds (skins still on). All are delicious options. And you can feel free to use whichever kind you like or can get your hands on.
Nutrition
Calories: 3971kcal | Carbohydrates: 347g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 274g | Saturated Fat: 74g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 62g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 915mg | Sodium: 3014mg | Potassium: 1453mg | Fiber: 30g | Sugar: 284g | Vitamin A: 46006IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 710mg | Iron: 15mg