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.

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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

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 9-inch round cake pans.
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.
Using a whisk – stir in vanilla extract, vegetable oil & apple sauce, mix until well combined.
Using a sifter, sift in cake flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder to the sugar mixture. With a spatula, mix until just combined.
Fold in the shredded carrots and chopped pecans.
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.
Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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

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.
Sprinkle plenty of toasted pecans on the top of the cake, and you are ready to enjoy your delicious, from-scratch carrot cake.

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