An original sauce made for the filling of a carrot cake.
When I think of the spring season, I think of two things: flowers and Easter. And Easter always reminds me of carrot cake.
I wanted to make a carrot cake filling that would allow the brininess of Three Little Spats oysters to shine, while still being an approachable dessert for people who might question the combo.
I love the salty-sweet flavor of the oyster caramel sauce. I added a bit of orange zest to balance it out and tie the whole cake together.
Carrot Cake with Oyster Caramel Filling
I love the salty-sweet flavor of the oyster caramel sauce. I added a bit of orange zest to balance it out and tie the whole cake together.
Ingredients
Oyster Sauce
- 8–10 oysters, closed in the shell
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or more if needed
Caramel Sauce
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Zest of 1 orange
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Shuck the oysters, reserving the liquor.. Pulse oysters in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the oysters and liquor to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and add salt, allow to cool. Strain the oyster mix through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup. Add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce to every half cup of liquid. Return the liquid to the saucepan and bring to a boil again. Bring the heat back down to a simmer for 10 minutes, and allow to cool.
- Add the granulated sugar and water to a saucepan cook on medium heat until caramel reaches a golden-brown color. Remove from heat and whisk in heavy cream. Whisk in butter and orange zest. Add oyster and allow to cool
Notes
Photo by Doug Young
This recipe was originally published in the Spring 2024 issue.
