Typically when I make a strange dessert, I won’t tell the taste-testers (friends and family) before they try it. 99% of the time, it is love at first bite. Then, I proceed to ask them how they like it, if they can guess what’s in it, etc.

This go-around was the same deal.

I waited patiently while my taste-testers tried the carrot cake, waiting for either of the following reactions:

• 99% of the time: OMG…I love it! What’s in it? There’s something I can’t put my finger on.
• 1% of the time: Eww…you can have it back.

You see, my husband was the first taste-tester of this cake. He tried a few bites and liked it, but there was something different about it. Then, he proceeded to ask what the secret ingredient was. I told my mustard-hating husband that the secret ingredient was, in fact, Maille Old Style Mustard. His next reaction:

“Ewww! That’s what that flavor is.” His synesthetic response to hearing that mustard was in the cake, subconsciously forced him to not enjoy any further bites.

Oh, paaalease. You just said you liked the cake and now that you know it has mustard in it, you don’t like it?!?

Men.

I’ll be the first to admit, this cake does have a different flavor profile that you can’t instantly put your finger on. I had my in-laws give it a go and they LOVED it, too!

This is one of those recipes that you make when you want a show stopper and conversation starter. They won’t believe it!

The flavor is bursting out of this cake. While you can’t put your finger on the flavor instantly, once told what’s in it, you can definitely pin-point it.

Delicious!

Surprising.

Whole Wheat Mustard Carrot Cake

adapted from Crackers & Carrots

Ingredients

• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large organic eggs
• 2 small-medium apples, cored and diced
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 5 small-medium carrots, washed, stems cut off, and cut into small chunks
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons Maille Old Style mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• (frosting) 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
• (frosting) 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• (frosting) 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• (frosting) 6 cups powdered sugar

How-To

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round cake pans (or three 6-inch) with cooking spray and dust with all-purpose flour, discarding any extra flour (or spray with baking with flour cooking spray).
2. In a large bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer with the beater attachment, beat the brown sugar and eggs until foamy and thoroughly beaten.
4. Meanwhile, in your blender (I use a Blendtec) or food processor, purée the apple slices and oil together. Pour into the beaten eggs/sugar of your stand mixer.
5. Next, purée the carrots and orange juice together. Pour into the beaten eggs/sugar mixture of your stand mixer.
6. Add in the vanilla extract, mustard and ginger to your stand mixer and beat on low until all of the wet ingredients are combined.
7. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients of your stand mixer and stir until just combined.
8. Equally separate out into your cake pans (about 2 1/4 cups of batter per 8″ pan or 1 1/2 cups of batter per 6″ pan).
9. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean and the edges are light golden brown.
10. Allow the cakes to cool for five minutes in the pan before carefully flipping out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. Meanwhile, to assemble your icing, beat butter, yogurt and vanilla extract together until combined. Add in the powdered sugar until combined.
12. Assemble the cake and decorate as desired.

Note: For extra security, line the bottom of the cake pans with a round piece of parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray.

I received Maille product to sample for this post. Please read my disclosure policy for further information.