This brown butter carrot cake delivers a toasty, nutty flavor without adding any actual nuts. If you love carrot cake but prefer a smooth texture without crunchy mix-ins, this recipe is for you. It’s warmly spiced, moist from freshly grated carrots, and finished with a silky cream cheese buttercream.
Best Easter Cake
This brown butter carrot cake is an excellent choice for your Easter dessert table. It’s straightforward to make, impressive to serve, and the combination of browned butter and warm spices keeps people coming back for seconds. Made with fresh grated carrots and a flavorful spice blend, it works as a show-stopping layered cake or can easily be adapted to a sheet cake.
If you enjoy this cake, try other recipes from the same collection for similar baked treats.
How to brown the most perfect butter:
Browned butter is the secret to the cake’s toasty, nut-like character. Browning butter concentrates its milk solids and develops a rich, caramelized aroma that adds depth to baked goods.
To brown butter: melt it in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat and stir frequently. The butter will foam, then the milk solids will separate and begin to brown. When you hear gentle crackling and see golden brown flecks, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the butter to a bowl to cool slightly. Do not let it turn black — you want a deep golden color and a nutty scent.
Why you need to make this recipe:
- Brown butter base — Provides a nutty, toasty flavor so you don’t need to add nuts to the cake.
- Warmly spiced — A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves layers aromatic flavor throughout the cake.
- Fresh grated carrot — Fresh carrots add natural sweetness and moisture that pre-shredded carrots can’t match.
- Cream cheese buttercream — A classic, tangy frosting that pairs perfectly with spiced carrot cake.
- Flexible format — The recipe is written for a layered cake but can be baked as a sheet cake if desired.
Ingredients you will need
Below are notes and the key ingredients used in this recipe. Use fresh leavening and fresh spices for the best results.
- Unsalted butter — Needed for both the browned butter in the cake and the buttercream; have enough on hand.
- Unsweetened applesauce — Helps keep the cake moist; use unsweetened to avoid altering the balance of sugar and texture.
- Large eggs — Six room-temperature eggs give structure and richness; bring them to room temperature before mixing.
- Vanilla extract — Pure vanilla adds flavor; use your preferred vanilla if needed.
- Ground nutmeg, cloves, and ginger — These warm spices complement cinnamon and build the cake’s character; check that they are fresh.
- Fresh carrots — Grate carrots fresh for the best moisture and texture.
- Cream cheese — Use room-temperature cream cheese for a smooth buttercream.
- Powdered sugar — Sift before adding to the frosting to ensure a lump-free texture.
- Fresh baking powder/baking soda — Replace these every few months for reliable rise; stale leavening can lead to dense cakes.
Substitutions
When you’re in a pinch, these substitutions can work, though the original ingredients yield the best results:
Vanilla extract — You can use imitation vanilla or vanilla flavoring if needed.
Vegetable oil — Swap in another neutral oil such as canola.
Brown sugar — If you don’t have light brown sugar, granulated sugar can be used in a pinch (the flavor and moisture will be slightly different).
Applesauce — Crushed pineapple can substitute for applesauce for a different flavor and moisture profile.
Step by step instructions
Follow these steps to prepare the cake layers and the cream cheese buttercream.
STEP 1: Brown the butter — Melt and brown butter, then allow it to cool to room temperature before using.
STEP 2: Grate the carrots — While the butter cools, grate fresh carrots and set them aside.
STEP 3: Combine dry ingredients — Whisk flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
STEP 4: Beat fat and sugars — In a mixer, beat the browned butter, oil, applesauce, and both sugars until lighter in color, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape the bowl and continue as directed.
STEP 5: Add vanilla and applesauce — Mix briefly on low speed until combined.
STEP 6: Add the eggs — Add eggs one at a time, beating after each and scraping the bowl between additions.
STEP 7: Incorporate dry ingredients — With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture just until no streaks remain.
STEP 8: Fold in the carrots — Use a rubber spatula to fold in the grated carrots without overmixing.
STEP 9: Bake the cakes — Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans and bake about 30–33 minutes, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
STEP 10: Make the frosting — Beat butter and cream cheese, then add sifted powdered sugar, cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
STEP 11: Assemble the cake — Level layers if needed, spread buttercream between layers, apply a crumb coat, chill briefly, then finish with a final coat of frosting.
ASSEMBLING THE CAKE
- Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of a cake board to anchor the cake.
- Work with cold or lightly frozen layers to minimize crumbs and slipping while decorating.
- Place the first layer bottom-side down and spread about 1 cup of cream cheese buttercream evenly. If you do want nuts, sprinkle them over the filling now.
- Top with the second layer, repeat the filling, then add the final layer.
- Apply a thin crumb coat to lock in crumbs, then chill the cake before applying the final frosting layer for a clean finish.
Storing your Brown Butter Carrot Cake
For multi-day prep, bake the layers, cool completely, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate or freeze. Chilled layers are easier to level and produce fewer crumbs when decorating. Store uncut cake layers in the refrigerator for 3–5 days.
FREEZING
To freeze the finished cake, chill it first, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and an outer layer of foil for long-term storage. The cake freezes well for up to 6 months. When ready to serve, thaw the cake in the refrigerator to minimize condensation and then bring it to room temperature before slicing.
If you want more baking ideas, there are additional recipes in the same collection featuring brown butter and other rich desserts.
Brown Butter Blueberry Cookies, Rocky Road Brownies, Banana Biscoff Cake
Recipe
Brown Butter Carrot Cake
Molly Murphy
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the carrot cake layers
- 1 cup browned butter cooled
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups freshly grated carrots (you need these to be fresh)
Cream Cheese Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter room temperature
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- This recipes makes enough to frost and fill a cake if you want extra for piping, make 1.5× the frosting
Instructions
For the cake
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray, line the bottoms with parchment, and spray the parchment. Set aside.
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In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir until it foams and the milk solids separate and begin to brown. When golden brown and aromatic, remove from heat, pour into a glass bowl, and let cool 10–15 minutes.
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While the butter cools, grate the carrots into a large bowl and set aside.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a stand mixer bowl, beat the cooled browned butter, oil, applesauce, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high for about 3 minutes, until lighter in color. Scrape the bowl as needed.
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With the mixer on medium, add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions. After all eggs are added, beat about 1 minute, then add vanilla and mix on low until combined.
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On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Finish folding in the batter with a spatula and fold in the grated carrots.
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Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans (about 20 ounces per pan). Bake 30–33 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
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Cool the pans on racks for 10–15 minutes, then remove layers and cool completely on racks.
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Level the cakes if necessary. Wrap and refrigerate if using within 1–2 days, or wrap and freeze for longer storage.
For the cream cheese buttercream
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In a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese on medium for about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beat 2 more minutes until smooth.
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On low speed, add sifted powdered sugar, then cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Mix just until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
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Increase to medium-high and beat 3–5 minutes for a light, fluffy texture.
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Finish by pressing out any air pockets with a spatula for a smooth look.
Assembly
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Pipe a small dollop of buttercream onto a cake board and place the first layer top-side up.
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Spread about 1 cup of buttercream evenly on the layer. Place the second layer top-side down and spread another cup of buttercream. Add the third layer top-side down.
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Apply a thin crumb coat over the entire cake and freeze for about 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
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Finish frosting with the remaining buttercream and smooth as desired.
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Serve the cake at room temperature for the best texture and flavor.