Photo Copyright ©2026 by Nico Schinco
Excerpted from The Dessert Table: 100 Joyful Jewish Sweets. Copyright ©2026 by Leah Koenig. Used with permission of the publisher, W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
Date-Carrot Cake with Orange Blossom Frosting
Bakes one 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) cake
I have always been firmly on team carrot cake. The ultimate mid-twentieth century American snacking cake is a squishy, ultramoist vehicle for eating cream cheese frosting—what’s not to love? Here I’ve updated a classic carrot cake recipe with a Middle Eastern flavor profile. I swapped the usual raisins for jammy bits of chopped dates and lifted up the sweet-tangy frosting with orange blossom water and grated orange zest. The result is truly extraordinary. As one volunteer recipe tester put it, “It tasted even better than I imagined!” The cake’s flavors continue to develop as it rests, so if possible, bake it a day before serving.
For the Cake
1¾ cups (245 g) all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (125 g) pitted dates, chopped
¾ cup (180 ml) sunflower oil or other neutral vegetable oil
1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ pound (340 g) carrots (3 to 4 large carrots), peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater (see Note)
For the Frosting
8 ounces (227 g) cream cheese or nondairy cream cheese, softened
8 tablespoons (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter or vegan butter, softened
2½ cups (300 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ teaspoons orange blossom water
Grated zest of 1 large orange
Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking dish.
Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped dates in a medium bowl.
Whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir together to combine, then fold in the grated carrots.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top. Bake until the cake is golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the baking dish on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld electric mixer and a large bowl), beat the cream cheese and butter together at medium speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, salt, orange blossom water, and orange zest and beat until creamy.
Dollop the frosting onto the top of the cake and use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread and swoop it evenly over the cake. If desired, place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving to allow the frosting to set a bit.
Serve the cake slightly chilled or at room temperature. Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 5 days.