Brown Butter Carrot Cake

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Brown Butter Carrot Cake

This Brown Butter Carrot Cake is moist, warmly spiced, and full of rich nutty flavor from browned butter. Layered with creamy cinnamon cream cheese frosting, it’s a bakery-style cake perfect for celebrations or cozy baking days.

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Prep Time 35

Cook Time 35

Total Time 1 10

Servings: 10

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the cake

10 tbsp 142g unsalted butter, browned
2 1/2 cups 318g all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups 400g light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs room temperature
1 cup 250g unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups 296g finely shredded carrots
3/4 cup 84g chopped walnuts or pecans

For the cream cheese frosting

24 oz 680g cream cheese, softened
2 sticks 227g unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla paste
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
5 cups 625g powdered sugar, sifted

Method

Make the brown butter
Melt butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown and nutty in aroma. Let it cool completely.
Mix dry ingredients
Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl.
Make batter
Mix brown butter and brown sugar, then add eggs. Stir in applesauce and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in carrots and nuts.
Bake
Divide batter into prepared cake pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30 minutes. Cool completely.
Make frosting
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and powdered sugar. Mix until creamy.
Assemble
Layer cakes with frosting between each layer and cover the outside. Slice and serve.

Notes

Use finely shredded carrots for best texture. Always cool cake completely before frosting. Brown butter must be cooled before mixing.