Who says you can’t have dessert for breakfast? These carrot cake scones will change your mind!
How have I not created this recipe before now? That is the only question I have regarding this week’s recipe.
I have loved carrot cake for a very long time. It’s an often requested cake for celebrations with family and friends and a cake I make sometimes just because. However, carrot cake has stayed firmly in the dessert category. (If you want dessert, these carrot cupcakes are a fabulous choice.) It’s not a dish to be served as a meal. And yet, unbeknownst to me, it’s been begging me to do just that.
Recipe inspiration = me 🙂
What made this revelation very clear was the current Think Tasty theme- celebrating things I like in honor of my 50th birthday. Last week was all about strawberries, a fruit I have enjoyed since I was little. For this week I considered other foods that I’ve enjoyed, and carrot cake was on the list. I’ve shared that recipe, in two different styles, so it was time to find another way to eat carrot cake. And just like that my brain shouted, “Hey! Turn them into scones!”
So, here we are today with this delicious carrot cake scone recipe. Before you make this recipe, let me explain one very important detail. They. Are. Hard. To. Resist.
Hello, temptation
I am a woman of great willpower. For example, I can walk by an open bag of chips without blinking. I leave the container of homemade cookies unopened on the counter. I skip the order of fries and get a salad. But these scones!
I, of course, had to eat one to see if the recipe was a success while testing the recipe. When I made the final batch after the recipe is deemed a success, which is done to film and photograph, I don’t necessarily eat any. With these scones, I did. I broke off a corner and another corner and then another corner. Finally, I had to put them in a storage container to hide them from my sight.
If you know anything about me, that tells you how good they are. So, make a batch, but be prepared to (a) share immediately with friends or family; (b) put in hidden storage; (c) accept that you’ll eat more than planned. Whatever you decide, it’s fine. And don’t forget to be excited that carrot cake is now an acceptable breakfast dish. Well, as long as it’s a carrot cake scone.
Carrot Cake Scones
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 5 tablespoons butter** frozen
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 3/4 cup buttermilk*
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Mix flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
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Grate butter using the side of a box grater that you use to shred cheese.
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Add butter to flour mixture; stir to combine.
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Add carrot, pecans, and raisins to flour mixture, and toss gently.
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Whisk buttermilk, egg yolk, and vanilla in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl.
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Pour about 3/4 of the liquid to the bowl, and stir well.
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Gradually add more liquid to the dough until it forms a ball.
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Place dough on a lightly floured surface and press into an 8-inch round.
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Cut into 8 wedges.
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Transfer wedges to cookie sheet, preferably lined with parchment paper.
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Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the scones are crusty on top and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
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While scones cool, combine cream cheese and powdered sugar in a small mixing bowl.
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Stir to combine, adding milk slowly.
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To frost entire scone: use a knife to coat thoroughly.
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To make a scone with less frosting: transfer frosting to a plastic quart bag. Cut tip off corner, and decorate scone with thin lines of frosting.
Video
Notes
**You also can use chilled butter, cut it into small pieces, and blend it into the flour mixture until it’s the size of peas or smaller.
