Brown Butter Carrot Cake
Recipe by Nicole Thom-Arens
Serves 9 to 16
My husband’s favorite dessert is carrot cake. He has fond memories of the sheet cake version his grandma would make around the holidays. Pieces of the cake were added to a tray of sweets that she delivered to families. Tim always got an extra few carrot cake bars on his family’s tray. This version has Tim’s approval, which is high praise. It’s an elevated version of a classic with browned butter in the batter for depth of flavor and brown sugar syrup in the frosting for an extra punch of richness. Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen.
Ingredients:1/2 cup unsalted butter2 eggs1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar, packed1/4 cup Greek yogurt1/4 cup buttermilk1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 cup whole wheat flour1 cup all-purpose flour1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed2 tablespoons water8 ounces cream cheese, softened1/4 cup butter, softened1/2 cup powdered sugarSplash of vanilla1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/8 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)
Nut Topping
1/3 cup walnuts1/3 cup pecans
Instructions:1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Line a 9-inch springform pan or a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper and grease with butter. Set aside.3. Place the butter in a small saucepan. Heat on medium until golden brown—swirl the pan occasionally. Allow to cool slightly.4. While the brown butter is cooling, add the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk with a hand mixer until well combined and lightened. 5. Add the slightly cooled brown butter. Whisk to combine.6. Whisk in the vanilla bean paste. 7. Add the yogurt and buttermilk. Whisk to combine.8. Add the baking powder and baking soda. Whisk until combined and there are no lumps remaining.9. Stir in the carrots.10. Add the flours and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give the batter a good stir. 11. Add the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth to the edges.12. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 13. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan set on a wire rack. 14. While the cake is cooling, finely chop the walnuts and pecans together. Set aside.15. When the cake is cool, make the frosting by combining the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted—about 5 minutes. (Do not bring this to a boil. This process helps prevent a gritty frosting. Over cooking the sugar can lead to crystallization or caramelization.)16. Allow the brown sugar to cool to room temperature before making the frosting.17. Once the brown sugar has cooled, add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. 18. Add the brown sugar mixture. Mix to combine.19. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.20. Mix in the vanilla. 21. Add the salt. Mix to combine.22. Run a thin knife along the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove the springform, if using.23. Place the cooling rack upside down onto the cake. Flip the cake onto the cooling rack. Remove the pan and the parchment paper. 24. Place a cake stand or plate upside down onto the cake bottom and flip so that the top of the cake is centered on the stand/plate. 25. Frost the cake as desired then coat the top and sides of the frosted cake with the chopped nuts.
Ingredients:1/2 cup unsalted butter2 eggs1/2 cup granulated sugar1/2 cup brown sugar, packed1/4 cup Greek yogurt1/4 cup buttermilk1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (about 2 medium carrots)1 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)1 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/4 cup whole wheat flour1 cup all-purpose flour1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed2 tablespoons water8 ounces cream cheese, softened1/4 cup butter, softened1/2 cup powdered sugarSplash of vanilla1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (Reduce to 1/8 teaspoon if not using Diamond.)
Nut Topping
1/3 cup walnuts1/3 cup pecans
Instructions:1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Line a 9-inch springform pan or a 9x9 square pan with parchment paper and grease with butter. Set aside.3. Place the butter in a small saucepan. Heat on medium until golden brown—swirl the pan occasionally. Allow to cool slightly.4. While the brown butter is cooling, add the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk with a hand mixer until well combined and lightened. 5. Add the slightly cooled brown butter. Whisk to combine.6. Whisk in the vanilla bean paste. 7. Add the yogurt and buttermilk. Whisk to combine.8. Add the baking powder and baking soda. Whisk until combined and there are no lumps remaining.9. Stir in the carrots.10. Add the flours and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and give the batter a good stir. 11. Add the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth to the edges.12. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 13. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan set on a wire rack. 14. While the cake is cooling, finely chop the walnuts and pecans together. Set aside.15. When the cake is cool, make the frosting by combining the brown sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar has melted—about 5 minutes. (Do not bring this to a boil. This process helps prevent a gritty frosting. Over cooking the sugar can lead to crystallization or caramelization.)16. Allow the brown sugar to cool to room temperature before making the frosting.17. Once the brown sugar has cooled, add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. 18. Add the brown sugar mixture. Mix to combine.19. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.20. Mix in the vanilla. 21. Add the salt. Mix to combine.22. Run a thin knife along the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove the springform, if using.23. Place the cooling rack upside down onto the cake. Flip the cake onto the cooling rack. Remove the pan and the parchment paper. 24. Place a cake stand or plate upside down onto the cake bottom and flip so that the top of the cake is centered on the stand/plate. 25. Frost the cake as desired then coat the top and sides of the frosted cake with the chopped nuts.