Browned Butter Carrot Cake Recipes

BROWN BUTTER CARROT SHEET CAKE WITH BROWN BUTTER-CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Place butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan constantly, until butter is bubbling, smells nutty, and browned bits begin to form on the bottom of the pan, 5 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and pour butter into a heat-safe bowl. Allow brown butter to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 12x16-inch pan and line with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat cooled brown butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, until mixture is light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla. Pour in 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add in remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
• Fold in shredded carrots, walnuts, and raisins. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of it comes out clean, 23 to 27 minutes. Transfer onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While cake is cooling, repeat step 1 to brown butter for the frosting. Let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
• Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until completely smooth. Add in cooled brown butter and mix until thoroughly combined. Mix in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and salt. Beat frosting at medium-high speed until completely smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Spread frosting over the cooled cake. Chill cake until ready to serve.

BROWNED BUTTER CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottoms and sides of 3 (8-inch) round pans with shortening; lightly flour.
• In 2-quart saucepan, heat butter over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until light golden brown. Pour into 2-cup glass measuring cup; cool 5 minutes.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, the baking powder, baking soda and salt. In large bowl, beat browned butter, brown sugar and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add flour mixture; beat on medium-high speed until well blended. Stir in carrots, raisins and walnuts. Spoon and spread batter evenly in pans (about 1 1/2 cups batter each).
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in vanilla and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. On low speed, beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until frosting is smooth and creamy.
• Frost cake, using 3/4 cup between layers, and remaining frosting to cover side and top of cake. Store covered in refrigerator.

CARDAMOM, BROWN BUTTER CARROT CAKE WITH ESPRESSO FROSTING

Steps:

• For the spiced carrot cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-9-by-3-inch square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and butter and flour the paper.
• Brown the butter in a small stainless-steel saucepan over medium-high heat. It should melt, foam and then the foam should subside. When you smell a nutty aroma, remove the butter from the heat. Remember that it will continue to brown as it cools.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, vegetable oil, browned butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix the eggs, granulated sugar and brown sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy, about 4 minutes.
• Drizzle the oil mixture into the mixer and whisk until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and fold the dry ingredients into the mixture with a rubber spatula until combined, then stir in the carrots. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• For the frosting: Dissolve the espresso powder in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the confectioners' sugar, espresso and cardamom and beat until light and fluffy.
• To assemble: Remove the cake from the pan and let cool on a wire rack. Cut into 9 squares, then split each square in half horizontally. Spread some of the icing between two cake layers, then generously spread icing over the top and garnish with the candied walnuts.