Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
I firmly believe that nuts and/or dried fruit do not belong and absolutely ruin the texture of a perfectly good sweet treat. So I had to right this wrong, and make this carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting (with zero of either).
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.
Since I know I’m not alone in this passion, I decided to provide this beauty for my fellow “no nuts for me” folks. Enjoy!
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CARROT CAKE with BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
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.
Most importantly, in my opinion, carrot cake is smothered in cream cheese frosting, which pairs perfectly with all those rich spices. Two cakes require a cream cheese frosting, or they are simply incorrect: Red velvet cake and carrot cake.
Why is there coconut oil in this recipe? Oil helps with the final texture of your cake. When you use oil, you’ll end up with a softer cake and a more tender crumb.
INGREDIENTS
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and flavor to the cake
- Granulated Sugar: Contributes to the sweetness and 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)
- 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
- Powdered Sugar: Seamless sweetener without the grit
- Milk: Loosens up your cream cheese frosting to make it more spreadable
Why do you insert a toothpick into a cake to check for doneness? Using a toothpick or thin skewer is a quick and easy way to see if your cake is fully cooked. If your batter is set and baked, your toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs. If not, return your cake to the oven and bake for a few more minutes before testing again.
HOW TO MAKE CARROT CAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
Start by browning your butter…
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. This will take about an hour.
Preheat your oven and make your nut-free carrot cake batter…
Once your frosting is done, preheat your oven to 350°F and grease, line, and flour two 9-inch round pans.
For your cake, 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.
Bake your cake and make your brown butter cream cheese frosting…
Divide your cake batter between your prepared pans and place in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes. 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.
For your frosting, combine your room temperature butter and cream in a bowl 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.
Add in your milk and give it one final beating before placing it in a piping bag (if desired). 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 carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Make your brown butter first! You will need it to set and soften your browned butter before you can whip it into your frosting. You can even make it the day before!
- Do not overmix your cake batter. Carrot cake tends to be a little more dense – but in a delicious way – than other cakes. Only mix in your dry ingredients with your wet until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Make sure that your ingredients are at room temperature. This will ensure that they mix in evenly and also are able to incorporate air where possible. For a quick egg hack: place your cold eggs in a glass, cover them with hot water, and let sit for 5 minutes. Then drain them and they’re ready to use!
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 brown butter 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 stored covered in the fridge for up to 5 days, though the cake will be best within the first 1-3 days.
MORE CAKE RECIPES
- Moist Red Velvet Cake
- Black Forest Cake
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
- Soft Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
- 2 9" Round Cake Pans
- Mixer
- Small pot
- Spatulas
- Fine Mesh Sieve
- Wire Rack
- Measuring Spoons
- Measuring Cups
Ingredients
- 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)
- 1 tbsp orange zest optional (approx. 1 orange)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup salted butter
- 6 oz. cream cheese room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Start by browning your butter. 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, leave to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before moving to the fridge to set.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper
- 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, and applesauce for a minute until combined.
- Add in two of your eggs, mix them in completely, then add the remaining two eggs. 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 cake)
- Once your butter has cooled to a room temperature consistency, 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 beat until all is incorporated. Add the milk and give one final mix.
- Once cooled, layer with frosting and top with fresh carrot shavings as desired. Enjoy!
