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Spiced Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
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Spiced Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Moist spiced carrot cake with cinnamon and nutmeg, layered in tangy cream cheese frosting made rich with nutty brown butter.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Carrot Cake, Spiced Carrot Cake, Spiced Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 24

Ingredients

Carrot Cake

  • 2¼ cups 280 g all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cups 300 g light brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup 100 g granulated sugar
  • 1 cup 250 ml canola or vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup 60 g sour cream room temperature
  • ¼ cup 62 g applesauce room temperature
  • 3 cups 6 medium carrots (345 g) shredded carrots
  • 4 large 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2½ tsps ground cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¼ tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ½ cup 1 stick (115 g) unsalted butter browned and cooled
  • 8 oz 1 block (225 g) cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 tsp 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cups 480 g powdered sugar

Instructions

Carrot Cake

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a 9x13 inch cake pan with parchment paper, making sure the sides are covered too.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set this aside for now.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the sugars and oil until combined.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and applesauce one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Sift the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and gently fold until only a few dry streaks remain. Then, fold in the shredded carrots.
  • Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool completely before adding any frosting. Once it has cooled, you can easily lift it out of the pan using the edges of the parchment paper.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Place the butter in a pan over medium heat.
  • Stir gently until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty and rich.
  • Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.
  • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add the cooled brown butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar, mixing until everything is creamy and well combined.
  • Spread a thick, even layer of frosting over your cooled carrot cake.
  • Cut into 24 squares for smaller servings, or fewer pieces if you want big, bakery-style slices.
  • Enjoy every bite!