This Irish carrot pudding is moist and flavorful and pairs perfectly with dates and hazelnuts for a nice little sweet treat.
Filled with dates and hazelnuts and topped with a light vanilla whipped cream, this Irish carrot pudding is a perfect any-time-of-year dessert.
One thing I learned through my exploration of vintage Irish cookbooks is that my definition of pudding is very different than Ireland’s definition of pudding. I made two pudding recipes expecting pudding–and the modest amount of flour made it seem like it was in the realm of possibility–but each time, I ended up with cake. I decided to research it, and I found that in Ireland (and England, too), pudding is a broad term that simply refers to a dessert, aka the little sweet treat after a meal. Pudding can also refer to savory dishes, like black pudding or kidney pudding. In my case, I thought I was making the US version of pudding the few times I followed a pudding recipe, but I was just making a cake. Not that I’m disappointed! Cake, when you’re expecting pudding, is just a pleasant detour and nothing else.
In this case, I tried this carrot pudding a few times, and it’s just so excellent. The original recipe uses raisins, but since I’m on a date and hazelnut kick, I had to try a version with that combination, and it was my favorite. I would describe this as a slightly less decadent sister of an American carrot cake. It’s smaller, has fewer eggs, and doesn’t use much oil and butter. It is a little more dense than a traditional carrot cake, but it’s still moist. It has a texture that feels somewhere between a fluffy cake and a dense zucchini bread.
I have read that this is often served at Christmas, but it’s perfect as a spring dessert for St. Patrick’s Day or Easter!
How to make this Irish carrot pudding recipe
I’ve been able to whip up this simple carrot pudding on a worknight, and we thought the leftovers were even better the next day!
What you need
- Carrots: You’ll need 6 or 7 small carrots to make 1½ cups grated carrots.
- Dry ingredients: You’ll need flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
- Butter: You’ll sauté the carrots in a little butter.
- Batter: You’ll need an egg, vanilla extract, and whole milk.
- Add-ins: You’ll add chopped dates and hazelnuts to the pudding. You can use raisins, cranberries, or chopped apricots. You can use any nut, such as chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Whipped cream: You’ll make a homemade whipped cream with heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Of course, you can use your favorite store-bought whipped cream instead!
How to make it
- Step 1: Cook the carrots. Melt butter in a skillet. Add the grated carrots and sauté over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until softened. Set aside.
- Step 2: Prepare the batter. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large bowl. Add the egg and milk and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Fold in the cooked carrots, dates, and hazelnuts.
- Step 3: Bake the carrot pudding. Pour the mixture into a baking dish; I used a 9-inch pie dish. Transfer to the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pudding comes out clean.
- Step 4: Make the whipped cream. While the pudding bakes, beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until needed.
- Step 4: Cool the pudding. Remove the carrot pudding from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.
Serve the carrot pudding warm, and spoon the homemade whipped cream. Finish with more crushed hazelnuts on top if you like!
Irish Carrot Pudding
Equipment
- 10-inch pie dish or 2-quart casserole dish
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1½ cups freshly grated carrots (from 6 to 7 small carrots)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (divided)
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ½ cup hazelnuts (lightly crushed, plus more for serving)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- Butter (or shortening; for greasing)
Instructions
Grease your baking dish:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 2-quart casserole or 10-inch pie dish with butter or shortening and set aside.
Sauté the carrots:
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Once melted, add the carrots and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until softened. Set aside.
Make the batter:
- Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
- Add the egg, whole milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth, but don’t overwork the mixture.
Finish the batter:
- Fold the dates, hazelnuts, and cooked carrots into the batter.
Bake the carrot pudding:
- Pour the batter into the prepared casserole or pie dish. Transfer to the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Make the whipped cream:
- Combine heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ cup powdered sugar in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Transfer to the refrigerator until needed.
Cool the carrot pudding:
- Remove the carrot pudding from the oven and let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
To serve:
- Slice the carrot pudding and serve warm with whipped cream. If desired, scatter roughly chopped hazelnuts on each slice. Enjoy!
