This cake has a delicious nutty flavor without the added nuts. It is filled and frosted with a delicious cream cheese buttercream. It’s the perfect spring dessert.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Prep Time 30 minutesminutes
Cook Time 3 minutesminutes
2 hourshours
Total Time 2 hourshours33 minutesminutes
Servings 16
Calories 598kcal
Author Molly Murphy
Ingredients
For the carrot cake layers
1cupbrowned buttercooled
2Tablespoonsvegetable oil
½cupunsweetened applesauce
1cupbrown sugarpacked
1cupgranulated sugar
6eggs at room temperature
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
3cupsall purpose flour
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
½teaspoonground nutmeg
¼teaspoonground ginger
¼teaspoonground cloves
1Tablespoonbaking powder
1 ½teaspoonsbaking soda
1teaspoonsalt
4cupsfreshly grated carrots(you need these to be fresh)
Cream Cheese Buttercream
1 ½cupsunsalted butterroom temperature
8ouncescream cheeseroom temperature
6cupspowdered sugarmeasured and then sifted
¼cupheavy whipping cream
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract
pinchof salt
This recipes makes enough to frost and fill a cakeif you want to have some extra for piping on the top, i suggest making 1.5 recipe.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray three 8 inch cake pans with non-stick baking spray. Line with parchment paper on the bottom and spray again. Set aside.
In a medium sized sauce pan, melt the butter on medium heat. Keep stirring the butter until it starts to foam and the milk deposits on the bottom separate. Stir until the butter starts to brown and you hear crackling noises. Take off heat. Pour in a glass bowl. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes.
While the butter is cooling, grate the carrots into a large bowl. After you are done, set them aside.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
In the bowl of stand mixer, beat the brown butter, oil, applesauce, and both sugars on medium high for about 3 minutes. The mixture should look lighter in color once it is beaten.
With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl between additions. Once all of the eggs are combined, beat the mixture for about a minute on medium speed. Add the vanilla and mix on low.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture. With a rubber spatula, fold in the carrots.
Evenly divide the cake batter between the three prepared pans (about 20 ounces of batter in each). Bake for 30-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs on it. Don’t over bake.
Let the cake layers cool in the pans on cooling racks for about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cake layers out of the cake pan and onto the cooling racks to cool completely.
After the cakes have cooled, level the cakes, if needed. If you are not using them right away, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze. If you are using them within 1-2 days of baking, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them in the fridge.
For the cream cheese buttercream
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Beat again for 2 more minutes.
With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar, followed by the cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low just until mixed. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat for about 3 to 5 minutes.
With a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, beat out all of the air pockets by hand for a smooth look.
Assembly
Pipe a small dollop of buttercream onto the middle of a cake board. Place the first cake layer, top side up.
Evenly spread about 1 cup of the cream cheese buttercream onto the cake layer. Place the second cake layer top side down onto the buttercream and spread another 1 cup of buttercream over the second layer.
Place the third cake layer top side down.
Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake. This is called the crumb coat. Freeze the crumb coated cake for about 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
Once the crumb coat is set, finish frosting the cake with the remaining buttercream.