The BEST Carrot Cake Recipe (Nut & Fruit Free!)

My mom has always loved carrot cake… and I have always not loved carrot cake. That was until I went to pastry school and realized it wasn’t the cake I didn’t like, but the nuts and fruit that were often crammed inside. I hate, despise, truly detest nuts and/or dried fruit in baked goods. They do not belong and absolutely ruin the texture of a perfectly good sweet treat. I will die on this hill (with the only exception potentially being pistachios…potentially).

I know I’m not alone in this passion, so I decided to provide this beauty for my fellow “no nuts for me” folks. A nut and dried fruit-free carrot cake layered and topped with a delicious brown butter cream cheese frosting, which adds just the right caramelized touch of flavor to bring it all together. Plus, there are two cakes that require a cream cheese frosting, or they are simply incorrect. What are they, you ask? Red velvet cake and carrot cake.

Now that I’ve informed you about two major baking tips regarding nuts and frosting, let’s get to baking. Also, quick note, I did use coconut oil in the recipe as I will confess I like the ever so slight aroma it gives the cake but if you prefer to swap, which I totally respect, you can easily sub in a canola or even olive oil (though the latter might come with an olive oily taste). 

WHAT IS CARROT CAKE?

Carrot cake is a type of spice cake packed with cozy spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to give a flavor punch to every bite. Carrots are literally featured in the cake, usually grated, and blend in seamlessly to the texture while adding a touch of sweetness. Traditionally, carrot cake features nuts and occasionally dried fruit, like raisins or pineapple – seeing as I’m a fan of neither in baked goods, this cake doesn’t feature either of those additions. Most importantly, in my opinion, carrot cake is smothered in cream cheese frosting, which pairs perfectly with all those rich spices.

INGREDIENTS

• Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and flavor to the cake
• Granulated Sugar: Contributes sweetness and to the final structure
• Coconut Oil: Creates a softer texture while adding a delicious flavor
• Eggs: A key binding ingredient, adding moisture and structure
• Unsweetened Apple Sauce: Adds a hint of sweetness and packs in moisture
• Carrots: Add color, a faint texture, and subtle sweetness to the cake
• Orange: Just the zest to bring together the warm spices, but can be omitted if you prefer
• Flour: Binding agent contributing to the final hold of the cake
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg: The spices that bring a delicious warmth
• Salt: Balances and enhances flavor
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Rising agents to make your cake puff
• Butter: The base for your frosting, giving it a smooth texture and finish
• Cream Cheese: Key flavor and creamy tang for your frosting, balancing out the spices
• Powdered Sugar: Seamless sweetener without the grit
• Milk: Loosens up your cream cheese frosting to make it more spreadable

HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Since we’re making a brown butter cream cheese frosting, we’re going to start by browning our butter first. To a small pot, add your butter, place it over medium heat, and swirl your pot every minute or so. The butter will melt and the mixture will begin to separate – you’ll notice the milk solids rise to the top before dropping to the bottom of the pot and beginning to brown. Once browned, pour your browned butter into a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge to firm up. Once firm, remove your butter from the fridge and allow it to soften to room temperature until ready to use.

To a bowl, combine your room temperature butter and cream and beat for a minute with a mixer until combined and smooth. Sift your powdered sugar into the bowl and carefully beat until all is incorporated. Depending on the size of your bowl, you might want to fold the powdered sugar into the butter and cream cheese mixture before using your mixer, so it doesn’t plume in your face when you turn it on. Add in your milk and give it one final beating before placing in a piping bag (if desired) and keeping at room temperature while you prepare your cake.

Once your frosting is done, preheat your oven to 350°F and prep your cake pans by greasing and flouring two, 9-inch round pans.

Sift together your dry ingredients in a bowl – flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder – and set aside. In another bowl, beat together your sugars, coconut oil, eggs, and applesauce for a minute until thoroughly combined. Add in your grated carrots and orange zest and mix. Fold your dry ingredients into your wet until just combined. Carrot cake tends to be a little more dense, so be careful not to overmix.

Divide your cake batter between your prepared pans and place in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove your cakes from the oven and cool inside the pans for 10 minutes before using a spatula to loosen the edges and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Be sure to remove the parchment paper from the, now, top of your cake!

Once your cake has cooled, place one layer on a cake plate, frost, add the second layer and frost again. Top with carrot shavings as desired and enjoy!

3 reasons you’ll love this nut + fruit free cake

MAKING AHEAD & STORING

You can make your brown butter the day before making your cake, this will allow it time to chill before bringing it out to room temperature to soften ahead of whipping into your delicious cream cheese frosting.

The baked cake layers can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in freezer-safe bags or containers to be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. The prepared brown butter cream cheese frosting can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months as well.

Your baked and frosted cake can be kept at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for up to 5, though the cake will be best within the first 1-3 days.

MORE CAKE RECIPES

This is my favorite Moist Red Velvet Cake, topped with cream cheese frosting, and is a must-try! For something that feels a little fancier, try this Black Forest Cake made with layers of chocolate cake, whipped cream, and homemade cherry preserves. Or, if you’re wanting a play on a cake, try this Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake!

Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting (Nut & Fruit Free!)

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Servings 10

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

A nut and dried fruit-free carrot cake layered and topped with a delicious brown butter cream cheese frosting, which adds just the right caramelized touch of flavor to bring it all together. Whether you simply don't like nuts or fruit in your cake or you have an allergy that prevents them, this is the carrot cake recipe for you!

Equipment

• 2 9" Round Cake Pans
• Mixer
• Small pot
• Spatulas
• Spoon
• Fine Mesh Sieve
• Wire Rack
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups

Ingredients

CAKE

• ¾ cup brown sugar lightly packed
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup coconut oil* melted
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 cups carrots grated (approx. 4 medium carrots)
• Zest of 1 orange optional
• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder

FROSTING

• 12 tbsp salted butter
• 6 oz. cream cheese room temperature
• 5-6 cups powdered sugar
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Instructions

• Make your frosting: Place your butter into a small pot over medium heat. Swirl the pan every minute or so. As the mixture begins to separate, the milk solids will rise and then slowly drop to the bottom of the pot and begin to brown. Once browned, remove from heat and pour immediately into a bowl, cover, and place in the fridge. Once your butter has firmed in the fridge, remove it and allow it to soften at room temperature until ready to use. Add your room-temperature cream cheese and browned butter to a mixing bowl and beat for a minute until smooth. Sift your powdered sugar into the bowl and carefully beat until all is incorporated. Add the milk and give one final beat. Keep at room temperature while you prepare the cake (this will make it easier to pipe)
• Preheat oven to 350F and grease, line, and flour two 9-inch round cake pans
• In a bowl, sift together your flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir and set aside
• In another bowl, beat together your sugars, coconut oil, eggs, and applesauce for a minute until combined. Mix in your grated carrots and orange zest
• Fold in your dry ingredients until just combined, do not overmix
• Split your batter between your lined cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely (remove parchment paper from the bottom of the cake)
• Once cooled, layer with frosting and top with fresh carrot shavings as desired. Enjoy!

Video

https://www.instagram.com/p/DBEi9SPyfga/

Notes

*You don’t have to use coconut oil for this recipe, simply swap for canola oil or olive oil if desired. If you chose olive oil, there might be a slight olive oily flavor to your cake FYI

*If you prefer to leave out the orange zest, you do you, my friend! It adds a little citrusy tang without a fruity texture but again, totally respect aversions to fruit in cakes

*Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature! This cake is packed so you want to ensure that your various ingredients combine together easily and you avoid overmixing your batter – which could result in a cake with a texture much denser than you want

*Before icing your cake, be sure that your cakes are completely cool otherwise they could melt the frosting as you layer and decorate it