Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 75 mins
This carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting is a decadent and delicious dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.
The moist and tender cake is packed with sweet and lightly spiced, while the rich and creamy frosting adds a nutty depth of flavor that takes the cake to the next level.
Equipment
- Three 9 inch cake pan
- Parchment paper
- Hand mixer
- Whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Large mixing bowl
- Piping bag
- Cake offset spatula
- Rotating cake stand
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE:
- 4 eggs
- 288 g granulated sugar
- 204 g brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 180 ml vegetable oil
- 120 ml apple sauce
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 300 g cake flour (you can use all-purpose flour as well)
- 420 g shredded carrot
- 110 g pecan
FOR THE FROSTING
- 425 g cream cheese room temp
- 340 g salted butter (browned, weight before browning)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 425 g confectioners sugar
Preparation
CAKE
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Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 9-inch round cake pans.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
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Using a whisk – stir in vanilla extract, vegetable oil & apple sauce, mix until well combined.
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Using a sifter, sift in cake flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder to the sugar mixture. With a spatula, mix until just combined.
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Fold in the shredded carrots and chopped pecans.
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Pour your cake batter into your already greased and lined pan, bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
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Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Once cool, wrap cake in plastic wrap and store them in the fridge til completely cool. This step is very important – if the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt when applied.
FROSTING
- Add salted butter to a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Melt the salted butter, stirring frequently, until butter liquifies, turning golden brown and giving off a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Be sure to keep a close eye during this stage, as the butter can burn very easily.
- Pour brown butter in a heat safe bowl and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours (until solidified). If you’re in a rush, you put the bowl in an ice bath and whip until the brown butter solidifies.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy
- Add in your solidified brown butter, and using a hand mixer on medium speed to mix until smooth, creamy and well combined.
- Gradually fold in your confectioner sugar with a spatula, slowly folding until the sugar is no longer visible. Next, use a hand mixer on medium speed to whipped until smooth, creamy and well combined.
- Add vanilla extract, and mix one last time with a hand mixer on medium speed. Place frosting into refrigerator until its time to dress the cake.
ASSEMBLY
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Dress the cake using a piping bag to pipe the cream cheese frosting onto the cake and then smooth the frosting out with a cake icing spatula.
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Sprinkle plenty of toasted pecans on the top of the cake, and you are ready to enjoy your delicious, from-scratch carrot cake.
4.9 out of 5 stars (based on 23 reviews)
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