A classic spiced carrot cake with a brown butter cream cheese frosting. It's moist, loaded with fresh carrots, lots of spices and an over the top addictive frosting.
This carrot cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting is the perfect blend of sweet carrots, loads of spices and a flavorful frosting. I also have a mini carrot cake if you don't need a huge cake, or carrot cake cookies that has a similar flavor profile and all of them are perfect in the spring time!
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Flavorful: Fresh carrots, lots of spices, browned butter and cream cheese give this cake so much flavor.
- Easy: This cake is a really easy recipe to make and very fool-proof.
- Moist: The crumb of this cake is so soft, it practically melts in your mouth.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Oil: I love using coconut oil because I love the hint of coconut flavor it adds, but canola, vegetable or avocado would also be great.
- Carrots: You want to grate your carrots fine so they disperse all throughout the cake. And if you're left with extra carrots I'd highly suggest trying my easy banana carrot muffins.
- Butter: You will be browning the butter and then allowing it to firm back up after.
- Cream Cheese: I would highly suggest using full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, it is a lot less watery than other cream cheeses.
Step by Step Instructions
- Step 1: In a large bowl whisk together oil, eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla.
- Step 2: In a seperate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, flour, powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Step 3: Fold in the grated carrots.
- Step 4: Pour batter evenly into 3 cake pans. This seems to weigh about 600g per pan for me.
- Step 5: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer the baking pans to a wire cooling rack and let the cakes cool until they reach room temperature.
- Step 6: Brown the butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Once done, pour into a measuring cup or bowl and place in the fridge to solidify again. Should take about an hour.
- Step 7: Cream together chilled brown butter and softened cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and salt and mix until creamy and smooth.
- Step 8: Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate or serving stand. Spread a small amount of frosting over the first layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Repeat spreading a small amount of frosting again over the second layer.
- Step 9: Place final cake layer, top side down. Frost the entire cake, top and sides, with a thin crumb coat layer of the cream cheese frosting. Place in the fridge or freezer for about 10-15 minutes to chill. Pull the chilled cake out, and frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Step 10: Pull the chilled cake out, and frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
Expert Baking Tips
- If baking cupcakes fill the liners ¾ of the way full and bake at 350 for 18-24 minutes. This recipe would yield about 32 cupcakes.
- You can either grate fresh carrots by hand with a box grater or grate them with a food processor by using the shredding disk.
- Cakes will have the best results if made with room temperature ingredients. I like to pull my eggs, cream cheese, and butter out of the fridge an hour or two before I start baking.
FAQ
Can this be made gluten free?
Yes, just sub in a gluten free 1:1 ratio flour.
Can I add nuts this cake?
Yes, you can fold 1-2 cups of chopped nuts into the batter, or also into the frosting.
Do I need to peel my carrots before grating?
Yes, I would peel them first.
Storing & Freezing
This carrot cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days while remaining fresh. You do not need to store it in the fridge.
You can store the whole cake, or individual slices wrapped tightly, in the freezer for 2-3 months. Just pull out and allow to thaw before eating.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
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Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
This is a classic carrot cake with a brown butter cream cheese frosting. It's moist, loaded with fresh carrots, lots of spices and an over the top addictive frosting.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 lb (453.59 g) carrots grated or finely shredded
- 1½ cups (354.88 ml) neutral oil I use melted coconut or canola
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ⅓ cup (80 g) buttermilk room temperature
- 3¼ cups (455 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ginger
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) cloves
For the Frosting:
- 16 oz (453.59 g) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup (227 g) butter browned
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla
- 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) salt
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line the bottom of 3 eight inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together oil, eggs, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla.
- In a seperate bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, flour, powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Fold in the grated carrots.
- Pour batter evenly into 3 cake pans. This seems to weigh about 600g per pan for me.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Transfer the baking pans to a wire cooling rack and let the cakes cool until they reach room temperature.
To make the frosting:
- Brown the butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Once done, pour into a measuring cup or bowl and place in the fridge to solidify again. Should take about an hour.
- Cream together chilled brown butter and softened cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla, powdered sugar and salt and mix until creamy and smooth.
To assemble cake:
- Place one of the cake layers on a cake plate or serving stand. Spread a small amount of frosting over the first layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Repeat spreading a small amount of frosting again over the second layer.
- Place final cake layer, top side down. Frost the entire cake, top and sides, with a thin crumb coat layer of the cream cheese frosting. Place in the fridge or freezer for about 10-15 minutes to chill. Pull the chilled cake out, and frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Pull the chilled cake out, and frost the cake with the remaining frosting.
Notes
If baking cupcakes fill the liners ¾ of the way full and bake at 350 for 18-24 minutes. This recipe would yield about 32 cupcakes.
Cakes will have the best results if made with room temperature ingredients. I like to pull my eggs, cream cheese, and butter out of the fridge an hour or two before I start baking.
You can either grate fresh carrots by hand with a box grater or grate them with a food processor by using the shredding disk.
I know some people love nuts in their carrot cake, It will not affect the recipe if you wanted to add a cup or two of nuts. Or top the cake with some chopped pecans too for some added texture.
Make Ahead Instructions: The frosting can easily be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in a sealed container. Remove frosting from the fridge an hour before you’re ready to frost the cake, to give it time to come to room temperature.
Freezing Instructions: After baking the cake layers, allow them to cool completely, then wrap them well in plastic wrap and stick each layer in a ziplock freezer bag. They can be frozen for a few months. I usually just pull them out of the freezer once I am starting to make my frosting, or an hour or two before I want to assemble.
I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.Nutrition
Calories: 728kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 7gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 19gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 543mgPotassium: 187mgFiber: 2gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 5548IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Alexi Kelly
WOW! This is the first time I have ever made a cake and this recipe made me look like an expert! This carrot cake has the perfect blend of carrot, spices and the delicious browned butter frosting to tie it all together. Better than carrot cake that I have had at restaurants and bakeries. I will definitely be making this again and again!!
brooke
YAY!! That is the ultimate compliment. So glad you loved it and will make it again!
Mallory
My family loved this recipe! My daughter wanted to make carrot cake on a whim and this was perfect-simple steps and ingredients, so easy to follow, but utterly delicious! Brooke does it again!
Bekah
All I can say is this cake turned carrot cake haters into carrot cake lovers!
brooke
I LOVE this!!! Mission accomplished!
Cristina Romig
how far in advance can I make this without having to freeze it? Want it for Easter Sunday. All of your recipes are a hit when I make them!! Xx
brooke
Ideally the day before, I think cake always tastes best on the second day, but 2 days in advance would be just fine too!
Amanda Smith
The Salted Sweets has become my “go-to” for finding the best dessert recipes and this one did not disappoint. I made it for a family Easter party yesterday and everyone agreed it was the BEST carrot cake they had ever had. The browned butter cream cheese - was quite literally the icing on the cake. Absolute perfection.
brooke
I'm so happy to hear that!! Thank you so much!
Marlena
Do you think I could make this with gluten free 1:1 baking flour?
brooke
I haven't tried this particular recipe yet, so I'm not sure. I know plenty of people use a lot of my recipes with a 1:1 GF flour and have success though. Please let me know how it works if you try!
Jamee
Have you tried this cake in a 9x13? I don't have cake pans to make it in!
brooke
I haven't myself, but it will work fine!
Jules
Just made this for my sister who requested a gluten free carrot cake. It was amazing and loved by all! I used the King Arthur Gluten Free flour and you would not have known it was gluten free. I did have some trouble with small butter clumps in the frosting- I took it out of fridge after doing the brown butter process and it was hardened and cold - should I have done something different there? I was able to get it smooth eventually but figure I did something wrong. Regardless it was all fantastic- and my first carrot cake I ever made!
Amy L
Can I put this in a bundt pan?
Allie
Have these been done as cupcakes? Looks delish and would love to try for Easter.
Brooke Homec
yes, it works great for cupcakes as well!
Jaclyn
Is the butter measurement before or after browning? How much should we be left with after browning? Thank you
Kaitlin
I only have two 9 inch round pans, would I just adjust the cook time since they’ll each have more batter?
Brooke Homec
Yes, you will need to add some time to them. I would set the timer for 5 minutes extra, although I think it will be more like 10 minutes. Watch for a light golden along the top and test with a toothpick if needed.
Vanessa
Hi! I’m so excited to make this recipe! If I wanted to make 2 smaller cakes and use 6inch springform pans would I just split the batter / recipe as is between the pans? Shoukd I decrease the ingredients at all? Should I do only two layers vs 3? Just nervous to mess up the recipe ! Thank you 🙂
Brooke Homec
I actually have a smaller recipe that is for 6 inch pans. Mini Carrot Cake Recipe
Ali
This is the best carrot cake! The browned butter cream cheese frosting is now my go to frosting, So good!
Lisa
Going to try this soon! Question, how do you get the specs in the frosting? I love that rustic look and texture!! Thanks
Brooke Homec
It's from the browned butter
Beth
Can you make this as a sheet cake? How do you think the cooking time would change?
Jan Rickey
I'm so excited to make this cake! Have you ever added walnuts and raisins to the batter? I think I will because that's how my husband prefers carrot cake.
Brooke Homec
I haven't, but that will be great!
Jan Rickey
Fabulous cake with rave reviews from our guests! I went ahead and used King Arthur gluten-free flour and added chopped walnuts and raisins. It turned out perfect!
Janice Z.
Do I need to refrigerate it after I assemble if not serving immediately? Taking to an Easter lunch out of town.
Brooke Homec
no, room temperature is best!
Ashley
Made this for Easter and everyone was so impressed! Will never make a carrot cake without the brown butter frosting again! So so good!
Stephanie
Hi Brooke
Is it salted bitter for frosting? Thanks
Brooke Homec
Either works, but I use salted butter.