Carrot Cake
Updated: Mar 31
This carrot cake recipe features tenderized carrots soaked in buttermilk, warm spices, toasted walnuts, and a rich brown butter cream cheese frosting for an irresistibly moist and flavorful dessert.
The Best Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Carrot cake brings a comforting blend of warm spices, sweet carrots, and rich frosting to any dessert table. This recipe takes a beloved classic and elevates it with two brilliant techniques: soaking the grated carrots in buttermilk and using brown butter in the cream cheese frosting. These simple adjustments completely transform the texture and flavor profile of the cake.
You will learn exactly how to build layers of flavor that make this dessert unforgettable. We will walk through the unique components, the essential ingredients, and the step-by-step baking process to ensure your cake turns out perfectly moist and tender.
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Notes/Special Instructions:
If you can, prepare the carrot mixture ahead of time and refrigerate. The buttermilk tenderizes the carrots and makes a more tender cake.
Notes
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Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 . F (176 C). Lightly grease two 9 inch pans and line with parchment paper.
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Step 2: Toast walnuts in the oven for 8-10 minutes then give them a rough chop and set it aside.
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Step 3: Peel carrots then use a box grater to grate them, add buttermilk, vanilla extract and ground ginger and set it aside.
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Step 4: whisk flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then add chopped walnuts and give it a mix and set it aside.
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Step 5: In a stand mix bowl add eggs, brown sugar and white sugar, whisk until it is super frothy. It should take about 4 minutes then add vanilla, and slowly pour in the oil while it is mixing. After it’s done mixing, switch the whisk attachment to the paddle. Add carrot mixture and give it another mix. Now slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
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Step 6: Pour half of the carrot cake batter in one pan then pour the other half in the other pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
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Step 7: Once out of the oven allow them to cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes flip them onto a wire rack and remove parchment paper to finish cooling.
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Step 8: Over medium heat in a small pot add butter and allow it to brown while stirring. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. You’ll know you have brown butter once it starts to smell nutty. Pour butter in the bowl of the stand mixture and place it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
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Step 9: Once the butter is done chilling (solidify), attach the bowl to the stand mix and add cream cheese and mix it on low with the paddle attachment. Add vanilla and give it a mix, add powdered sugar and give it another mix on low.
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Step 10: Take one cake and place two cups of frosting in the middle then spread the frosting evenly. Top the other cake on top of the frosting and finish frosting the cake.
Instructions
3 cups shredded carrots
1 cup butter milk
1 3/4 cups roasted walnuts
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
4 eggs (room temperature)
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup veg. oil
2 tsp vanilla
Cake
1/2 Tbs vanilla
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
16oz cream cheese (room temperature)
4 cups powder sugar
Frosting
Carrot Cake
Head Chef
Sylvia
Servings :
Calories:
Prep Time
20 min
Cooking Time
40 min
Rest Time
30 min
Total Time
1 hour 30 min
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