Carrot Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

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Sweet carrots, rich sour cream, spiced cinnamon, and dark brown sugar create this luscious carrot cake with browned butter frosting.

Carrot cake is a classic dessert that is loved by many for its moist texture, delicious flavors, and the subtle hint of vegetables that it brings to the table {you know I’m counting it as as a veggie 🥕}. This carrot cake with browned  butter frosting is a 6-inch, 3-layer cake that is perfect to serve for any occasion: a birthday party, a family gathering, or even for a cozy night in. This year, it is our Easter dessert table centerpiece. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner, this recipe is easy to recreate and sure to become a new favorite. Let’s make it. 

What you’ll need to make this carrot cake with browned butter frosting: 

Salted butter

Granulated sugar

Dark brown sugar 

Large eggs 

Sour cream

Pure vanilla extract

All purpose flour

Whole wheat flour

Baking powder

Salt

Ground cinnamon 

Ground nutmeg 

Whole milk 

Shredded carrots 

Chopped walnuts, optional 

Cream cheese

Powdered sugar

Heavy cream, optional 

Food coloring, optional

The Cake 

With the right ingredients and techniques, you can create a cake that is sure to impress. This carrot cake is an offshoot of a few of my cake recipes, including this almond coconut layer cake and this chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. The secret ingredient to keeping it incredibly moist and slightly on the denser side is sour cream. Now you won’t taste the sour cream, but it will makes a big difference in your final product. {For a lighter more fluffy cake, try my Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting!}. 

Use a hand mixer or standing mixer, beat the softened butter and sugars together until fluffy and light, about thirty seconds. Add the eggs, both extracts, and sour cream, and beat until fully incorporated and light, another thirty seconds. Beat in the dry ingredients: both flours, salt, baking powder, and the spices. Next, add the whole milk. Beat together on low until incorporated, scraping the sides, until no unmixed batter remains, about thirty seconds. Finally, fold in the shredded carrots and walnuts until smooth and evenly distributed. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pans {about 1 heaping cup batter per 6” pan, about 2 cups per 8” pan}, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops spring back slightly when pressed.

Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire racks for at least 15 minutes, then flip each pan over onto the rack and tap gently all over. Lift the pan slightly. The cake should slide right out. Freeze for 20 minutes or until solid to make frosting easier.

The Browned Butter Frosting 

What is the difference between cream cheese frosting and buttercream you might ask? Traditional American buttercream is a combination of butter and powdered sugar, generally, with some vanilla or other flavors, added, and cream cheese frosting replaces some of the butter with cream cheese. 

Browned butter cream cheese frosting is a delicious twist on the classic cream cheese frosting. The process of browning butter gives the frosting a nutty, caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the cake. 

Measure out ¼ cup of the softened butter and place it in a small saucepan. Heat on high until the butter melts and begins to bubble and brown. Be sure to keep an eye on the butter as it browns, as it can quickly turn from brown to burnt. Also be cautious as the butter could spit up and it is hot. Remove the butter and allow it to cool to room temperature before making the buttercream. 

Add the butter, browned butter, and cream cheese to your standing mixer and beat for about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and mix on medium for a minute or so. Do not overbeat, or frosting will become too airy and fluffy. 

So what can you use instead of cream cheese frosting on those carrot cake, if it’s not your favorite flavor? Simply use a browned butter frosting sans cream cheese! Use three sticks, 1 ½ cups softened salted butter, omit the cream cheese, and continue with the frosting as instructed. 

The Assembly 

Place one cake on a serving dish and pipe or spread frosting on that layer.  Repeat with the second layer of cake, and then top with the final cake layer. This layer should be flipped upside down so the smooth bottom is out making the cake flatter on top and easier to frost. 

Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream and decorate with piped frosting carrots if desired. 

When it comes to decorating the cake, you can keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar or go all out with a variety of toppings such as chopped nuts, shredded coconut, or even edible flowers. The options are endless!

Refrigerate any leftovers for up to four days, ensuring that you cover any cut portions of cake so they do not dry out.

The Optional Mix-In’s 

There are many variations to this recipe that you can try out. For instance, you can add raisins, pineapple, or even shredded coconut to the cake batter for additional texture and flavor. You can also play around with the spices used to suit your taste preferences.

In addition, you can make this cake ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just be sure to bring it to room temperature before serving.

The Dietary Substitutions  

I love providing gluten and dairy free substitutions so that those with alternate dietary needs can enjoy my recipes to their fullest! These are subs that I have either used and continue to stock in my own home, or that have come highly recommended from others. I want your baking experience to be the best it can be, and avoiding gluten or dairy shouldn’t hinder that process in the slightest. 

As always, here is a list of tried and true dietary substitutes, so that you can enjoy this recipe without the additions of gluten or dairy. 

Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour is a wonderful all-purpose sub, and it’s cup for cup, so use the same measurements as you would all-purpose flour. Use this blend in place of both the all purpose and the whole wheat flour in this recipe.

Miyokos butter is a plant based brick that closely resembles dairy butter not only in its look, but it’s taste as well. It melts, browns, and spreads just like real butter, and truly is a fantastic substitute in this recipe. Use it as a 1:1 ratio sub, same as the flour, so the recipe measurements will not change. 

Miyokos also makes a wonderful cream cheese that would be an excellent dairy free base in the frosting recipe. 

Kite Hill makes a dairy free sour cream for replacing the dairy version in this cake.  

Silk Dairy Free Heavy Cream is a great option for the whipped topping. 

If you loved this carrot cake with browned butter, frosting recipe, I’d be so grateful for you to leave a 5 star rating + review. 

Tag @heathershomebakery on Instagram if you upload a pic too, because I want to see your creations. 

Lastly, post this recipe to any of your boards by tapping the Pinterest icon and clicking on your favorite photo. Save and enjoy! 

XO, 

Heather

PS: If cookies are more your game, try my Carrot Cake Cookies, coming to the site soon! You can use the maple cream cheese frosting in that recipe, or sub in the browned butter frosting from this recipe. Either would be delightful!