Description
This Carrot Cake Pie combines the comforting flavors of classic carrot cake baked in a flaky pie crust and topped with a creamy, colorful cream cheese frosting. Perfect for dessert lovers who want a fun twist on traditional carrot cake, this recipe features a spiced carrot filling baked to golden perfection, then decorated with vibrant carrot-themed frosting designs.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 1 store-bought pie crust, defrosted
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Wet Ingredients
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups shredded carrots (about 2-3 medium carrots)
Frosting
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- â…› teaspoon fine salt
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream, room temperature
- Orange and green food gel
Instructions
- Prepare Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-inch pie pan with the defrosted store-bought pie crust and crimp the edges to fit. Place the lined pan in the refrigerator to chill while preparing the filling.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and fine salt until well combined.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and packed light brown sugar until fully incorporated. Add the large egg and vanilla extract, continuing to whisk until smooth and combined.
- Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined with no visible streaks of flour. Fold in the shredded carrots carefully to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
- Bake the Pie: Pour the carrot batter into the prepared pie crust, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust turns golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, fine salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk or heavy cream, beating until smooth and spreadable. Add the second tablespoon of milk or cream if the frosting is too thick.
- Decorate the Pie: Divide the frosting into three portions. Tint one portion orange and another green using food gel colors, leaving the last portion white. Frost the cooled pie with the white frosting and use the orange and green frosting to pipe charming carrot shapes and designs on top, creating a visually appealing decoration.
Notes
- Be sure the pie is completely cooled before applying frosting to prevent melting or sliding.
- Use room temperature ingredients for best mixing and texture results, especially the egg, cream cheese, and butter.
- If preferred, homemade pie crust can be used instead of store-bought for a fresher flavor.
- Adjust the food gel colors’ intensity gradually to get vibrant but natural hues for the carrot decoration.
- Leftover carrot cake pie can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, covered tightly.
