Want all the joys of carrot cake but short on time? Look no further. American-style Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Drizzle come together quickly for breakfast or to accompany an afternoon cup of tea.
The carrots are easily shredded in the food processor, and the pecans are toasted while the oven is heating. The cream cheese drizzle adds a touch of extra sweetness.
Soul Warmer Herbal tea from Plum Deluxe pairs beautifully with the nutty autumn flavours of the scones. A match made in heaven!
It’s Plum Deluxe‘s best-selling caramel and nutty-flavoured tea. For good reason!
Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Drizzle
- Yield: Makes 8 large or 12 small scones 1x
Ingredients
For the scones
- 75 g or 2/3 c pecans
- 125 g or 1 ¼ c finely shredded carrots (from about 2 medium carrots)
- 280 g or 2 1/3 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ginger
- 5 g or 3 oz unsalted butter, cold; cut into pieces
- 1 large egg
- 113 g or ½ c heavy cream (plus more for brushing on top)
- 106 g or ½c light brown sugar
For the drizzle
- 113 g or 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 57 g or 2 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 57 g or ½ c confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 5 ml or 1 tsp heavy cream
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Make the scones
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until golden, shaking the pan occasionally (6-8 minutes). Transfer the pecans to a work surface to cool, then finely chop them.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is unevenly crumbly; some larger chunks of butter are fine. Add the pecan and carrots. Stir gently until incorporated.
- In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the egg, cream, and sugar until well combined.
- Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the egg mixture. Use a flexible spatula or fork to incorporate the wet ingredients until just combined.
- On a work surface or in the bowl, fold the dough over onto itself to incorporate any dry floury patches.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle with a bit of flour.
- Transfer the dough to the parchment or pan and divide it in half (about 415g per piece). Flour your hands and pat each piece into a 4″ round about 1″ thick. Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up the dough.
- Run a knife or bench scraper under cold water. Slice each circle into six wedges. Separate the pieces so that there is at least 1″ between them. (You can also use a lightly greased Mini Scone Pan; leave four spots unfilled. The scone wedges may not fit perfectly into the wells, but they will fill the cavities as they bake.)
- Brush the top of the scones with cream.
- Place the pan in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375°F. Bake, rotating the pan once halfway through until the scones are golden brown (25–30 minutes)
- Remove the scones from the oven and let them cool in the pan. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.
Make the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy (2 minutes).
- Mix in the confectioners’ sugar, then 1 tsp of the cream and the salt; beat briefly. If needed, warm the frosting for a few seconds in the microwave; it should drizzle over the scones.
Leftover scones with cream cheese drizzle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. For more extended storage, freeze unfrosted scones. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking, then heat in a 350°F oven until warm.
Alternatively, freeze unbaked scones in a single layer and store them in a zip-top bag for up to 2 months. To bake, allow the scones to sit on the counter while the oven heats to 375°F. Brush the tops with cream and bake as directed.
Notes
Adapted from King Arthur Baking Carrot Cake Scones with Cream Cheese Frosting.
