Buttermilk Carrot Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Spring is here! Carrot cake is a recipe that is synonymous with Spring. This is the perfect recipe for Easter or any Spring gathering.
This recipe is an elevated version of traditional carrot cake, thanks to the addition of browned butter in the cream cheese frosting and tangy buttermilk in the cake itself. Combined with citrus zest and warm spices, this cake is delectable!
A note on pan sizes:
This recipe works with (2) 8 inch pans (bake for 35-40 minutes), (2) 9 inch pans (bake for 30-35 minutes) or (3) 6 inch pans (bake for 25-30 minutes)
A note on grated carrots:
If buying pre-grated carrots, matchstick style carrots will not work. Use finely grated carrots, but due to preservatives added to grated carrots, it is truly best to grate your own. Just a few minutes of elbow grease makes all the difference.
Equipment
For Carrot Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups peeled and grated carrots *about 4 large carrots
- 2 1/2 cups All-purpose or cake flour 300 grams
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 4 eggs large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup neutral oil vegetable oil, canola oil, refined coconut oil
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- Zest of one orange
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 cup toasted and roughly chopped walnuts
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter browned
- 2 tbsp heavy cream room temperature
- 4 cup confectioners sugar
Decoration:
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, if desired
For Carrot Cake:
- 5 cups peeled and grated carrots *about 4 large carrots
- 5 cups All-purpose or cake flour 300 grams
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.5 tsp ground cloves
- 2 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 eggs large eggs, room temperature
- 1.5 cup neutral oil vegetable oil, canola oil, refined coconut oil
- 2 cup buttermilk room temperature
- Zest of one orange
- 1 cup raisins
- 2 cup toasted and roughly chopped walnuts
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter browned
- 4 tbsp heavy cream room temperature
- 8 cup confectioners sugar
Decoration:
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, if desired
For Carrot Cake:
- 7.5 cups peeled and grated carrots *about 4 large carrots
- 7.5 cups All-purpose or cake flour 300 grams
- 6 tsp baking powder
- 3 tsp salt
- 6 tsp baking powder
- 3 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp ground ginger
- 1.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 0.75 tsp ground cloves
- 3 cup sugar
- 1.5 cup brown sugar
- 12 eggs large eggs, room temperature
- 2.25 cup neutral oil vegetable oil, canola oil, refined coconut oil
- 3 cup buttermilk room temperature
- Zest of one orange
- 1.5 cup raisins
- 3 cup toasted and roughly chopped walnuts
For Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 24 oz cream cheese full fat, room temperature
- 1.5 cup unsalted butter browned
- 6 tbsp heavy cream room temperature
- 12 cup confectioners sugar
Decoration:
- 1.5 cup finely chopped walnuts, if desired
Intstructions
Carrot Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Toast walnuts on a baking pan for 4-5 minutes. Let cool and roughly chop. Set aside.
- Grease (2) 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- *You can use (2) 8-inch pans or (3) 6-inch pans. Adjusted baking time is needed.
- In a large bowl add flour, baking salt, soda and spices. Stir to combine.
- In another bowl, whisk eggs, sugars, coconut oil, buttermilk, orange zest and vanilla until incorporated.
- Add wet mixture to dry and using a rubber spatula, gently mix. Stir in chopped nuts and raisins. Evenly divide between two cake pans and tap to remove air bubbles.
- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean. Let cool completely.
Frosting:
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine cream cheese and butter.Mix on low and add in vanilla and heavy cream. Stop mixer and add in confectioner’s sugar, slowly pulsing the mixer to combine.
- Return to medium speed and mix for 1-2 minutes until light.
- To assemble, frosting top of one cake, place other cake on top. Frosting top and sides of cake, garnish with more chopped walnuts or piped frosting, if desired.
.jpg)
Meet Jessica!
I believe that a meal is always about so much more than a plate of food. It is about honoring food producers, perfecting technique, finding harmony between ingredients. Most importantly, it is about sharing it with those you love.
Collections
.avif)
Kitchen Must Haves
Assembly:
- Mix coffee and Kahlua in a shallow dish.
- Dust an 8x8 glass dish with2 tbsp of cocoa powder. Dipping ladyfingers in coffee mixture first, line bottom of glass dish. Spread half of saffron mixture in an even layer and repeat with another lady of ladyfingers, followed by remaining half of saffron mixture. Smooth top and dust with 2 tbsp of cocoa powder. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours. Enjoy!
.jpg)
Never miss a recipe!
Be the first to know when a new recipe drops!
.jpg)