A great carrot cake should be tender, warmly spiced, and topped with frosting worth sneaking a taste of straight from the bowl. This Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting delivers all three, combining freshly grated carrots, cinnamon, ginger, and a hint of cloves with a rich frosting that gets extra depth from browned butter. It’s a beautiful homemade dessert for Easter, birthdays, holiday gatherings, or any occasion that calls for a classic cake with a little something special.
The cake batter brings together all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour for a flavorful crumb, while canola oil and buttermilk help keep the layers moist and delicate. Finely grated carrots distribute throughout the batter, adding natural sweetness and the signature texture that makes carrot cake so beloved. Room-temperature eggs also help the ingredients blend smoothly. The batter is divided between two 9-inch round cake pans and baked at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
The real standout is the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Browning one stick of butter creates a toasted, nutty aroma that adds complexity to the tangy cream cheese and sweet powdered sugar. Let the browned butter cool before mixing it with the remaining butter and cream cheese so the frosting stays smooth and spreadable. Add the powdered sugar gradually, tasting after three cups to find the sweetness you prefer.
A handheld fine grater makes quick work of the carrots and helps create the fine texture that works especially well in this cake. Once the layers have cooled completely, stack them with frosting between the layers, apply a thin crumb coat, chill briefly, and finish frosting the cake. A spoon can create decorative swirls on top without requiring advanced decorating skills.
For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the finished cake and let it come to room temperature before serving. With its moist crumb, fragrant spices, and nutty cream cheese frosting, this carrot cake is a dependable crowd-pleaser that feels right at home on a holiday table or alongside an afternoon cup of coffee.
Looking for more cake recipes? Try these out:
- Apple Cake
- Cinnamon Sugar Zucchini Coffee Cake
- Salted-Caramel Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Matcha Green Tea Pound Cake
Carrot Cake With Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 1:10
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 pound carrots, finely grated
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 1/2 c. canola oil
- 1/3 c. buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 c. whole wheat flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. coarse kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
Frosting
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 16 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- dash of sea salt
- 3–4 c. powdered sugar
Instructions
- For the Cake – Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 9″ round cake pans with parchment paper. Whisk together carrots, eggs, sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Stir flour mixture into carrot mixture until well combined.
- Distribute batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool completely before icing. To remove cake from pan, loosen edges with an offset spatula and discard parchment paper.
- For the Frosting – Place one stick of butter in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-high heat until butter is browned, about 5 minutes. Pour into small bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes to cool.
- Once cooled, cream together browned butter, regular butter, and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla extract and salt. Mix.
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time. Mix well between each addition. After 3 cups, taste to see if additional sugar is necessary.
- Assembly – Place bottom layer of cake on cake stand, leveling the top if necessary. Add a layer of icing. Place second layer on top, leveling if necessary. Dirty ice the cake. Place in refrigerator for 20 minutes to chill. Finish icing the rest of the cake using an offset spatula. Using the back of a spoon, drag circles in the top of the cake for the swirl effect.
- Refrigerate. Serve cake at room temperature.
- Prep Time: :30
- Cook Time: :40
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven