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This homemade Carrot Cake Recipe is insanely moist, loaded with warm spices, and topped with the most dreamy white chocolate brown butter cream cheese frosting. Trust me, it’s the kind of dessert that makes you want seconds before you’ve even finished your first slice!
For more cake recipes, try my Hummingbird Cake, Cardamom Cake and Coconut Layer Cake!
This Carrot Cake Recipe is a fun and delicious twist on a classic carrot cake. It combines a super moist spice cake with crushed pineapples, shredded carrots, and chopped pecans, giving this cake the BEST flavor and texture.
We’re also swapping out the traditional cream cheese frosting for a brown butter cream cheese frosting with white chocolate for added creaminess and flavor.
The cake is perfectly balanced, with warm cinnamon and nutmeg blending perfectly with the natural sweetness of carrots and pineapple. But the real magic lies in the frosting—a velvety brown butter white chocolate cream cheese creation that’s creamy, nutty, and lightly caramelized, taking this dessert to new heights.
The combination of textures and flavors makes this cake recipe unforgettable and will keep you coming back for seconds—or even thirds. This is a great recipe for Thanksgiving, Easter, birthday, Christmas – you name it! Happy baking!
Table of Contents
Carrot Cake Ingredients
- Grated Carrots and Crushed Pineapple: These not only keep the cake moist but also add a subtle sweetness and a lovely texture. Use large carrots and don’t drain those pineapples – we want the extra juice!
- Sour Cream: Ensures a moist crumb and adds a slight tang that enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Brown Sugar: This sweetener enhances the cake’s moisture and adds a caramel-like richness that white sugar just can’t provide.
- All-Purpose Flour: This versatile flour provides structure and stability to the cake, ensuring a tender crumb and helping it rise beautifully for a moist carrot cake.
- Browned Butter: This is where the magic begins! Browning the butter deepens its flavor, adding a nutty richness that elevates the frosting.
- White Chocolate: Adds sweetness and creaminess, balancing the tang of the cream cheese while contributing to a silky texture. Be sure to use high quality white chocolate, I would avoid using white chocolate chips.
- Powdered Sugar: Essential for achieving that thick, creamy frosting that holds its shape perfectly.
- Cream Cheese: This is the star of the frosting. It gives that classic tang and a creamy mouthfeel, making it irresistible.
- Warm Spices: Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg, cloves, and ginger infuse the cake with flavor and depth, making each bite a cozy experience.
Additional Mix-Ins: Totally optional but you can add golden raisins, pecans, almonds, and even coconut flakes. Feel free to add or omit as per your personal preference! If adding, I recommend adding no more than 1 cup of add-ins to the cake batter.
How to make the Best Carrot Cake Recipe: Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Cake Batter
Step 1: Brown the Butter: Start by melting the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Let it foam and then watch for those golden brown bits. Set aside to cool to room temperature (this is for the frosting)
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients with oil: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cake flour, brown sugar, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, all the warming spices, and oil. Mixing the dry ingredients in oil
Step 3:Mix the Wet Ingredients: In separate medium bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolk, maple syrup, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and sour cream. It’s important that these are at room temperature for best results, as they mix more smoothly with the other ingredients.
Step 4: Combine: Pour your wet mixture into the dry ingredients and use a hand mixer to mix on low speed until combined, then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds until smooth.
Baking the Cake
Step 5: Use a rubber spatula to fold in the grated carrots, crushed pineapple (with juice), and chopped pecans or walnuts. Don’t overmix; you want a thick, luscious cake batter that’s studded with texture.
Step 6: Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray or line with parchment paper. This will help your cakes release easily after baking and not stick to the bottom of the pan. Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake at 350°F for about 22-28 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Cool: Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling on a wire rack helps prevent sogginess.
Creating the Frosting
Step 7: Make the Frosting: Combine the cooled brown butter and melted white chocolate in a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes. Gradually add in the powdered sugar, mixing well after each addition until you have a thick frosting. Finish with Cream Cheese: Once the powdered sugar is fully incorporated, add in the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and a dash of cinnamon. Beat until everything is smooth and fluffy.
Step 8: Layer It Up: Place the first cake layer on a cake stand and level it if needed. Spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting on top, then repeat with the second layer.
Assembling the Cake
Step 9: Crumb Coat: Add a thin layer of frosting around the entire cake and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This crumb coat helps keep the crumbs in place, ensuring a clean finish when you frost the outside. 9. Add the remaining frosting onto the cake and garnish with additional pecans or walnuts. 9. Add the remaining frosting onto the cake and garnish with additional pecans or walnuts. After chilling, spread the remaining frosting generously over the top and sides of the cake. Feel free to go wild with it! Add a sprinkle of chopped nuts on top for that added crunch on top of the cake.
Tips for Making Carrot Cake
- Use freshly grated carrots instead of pre-shredded ones. Pre-shredded carrots are often too dry and lack flavor.
- Mix the batter gently: Overmixing the batter can activate the gluten in the flour, resulting in a dense cake. Stir just until the ingredients are combined.
- Let the cakes cool completely before frosting: Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Frosting a warm cake is a recipe for disaster!
- Store properly: Store the finished cake in an airtight container to retain its moisture. If making it ahead, wrap the unfrosted layers tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to frost.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can bake the cake layers a day in advance and keep them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the fridge. Just frost when you’re ready to serve!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. Just know that this cake might get more delicious as the flavors meld together!
Yes! You can freeze the un-frosted layers for up to three months. Just make sure they are well wrapped. Thaw in the fridge overnight before frosting.
Using room temperature ingredients, like eggs and sour cream, and incorporating shredded carrots and crushed pineapple help keep the cake incredibly moist.
To shred carrots using a food processor, fit the processor with the shredding attachment, peel the carrots, and cut them into manageable lengths. Feed the carrots through the chute while the processor is running. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a box grater—just run the carrots along the grater’s large holes for perfectly shredded pieces. Both methods make quick work of shredding and save you from the hassle of grating by hand!
More Cake Recipes
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Black Velvet Cake
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Carrot Cake with Brown Butter White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Cake Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 3/4 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- 2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
- 1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 3 large Eggs, (room temperature)
- 1 Egg Yolk, (room temperature)
- 3 tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 1/2 cups Carrots, (grated)
- 8 oz Crushed Pineapples, (do not drain)
- 1 cup Pecans, (chopped)
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 cup Salted Butter, (browned, see instructions)
- 4 oz White Chocolate
- 4 cups Powdered Sugar
- 16 oz Cream Cheese, (cold)
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Begin by browning the butter for the frosting. This will need to cool so we will start by browning the butter and setting it aside while we prepare the cake batter. Add 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter to a skillet over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt, then continue to cook until the butter becomes foamy and you begin to see browned bits on top of the foam. Remove from heat and add white chocolate. Gently whisk until the white chocolate is fully melted. (if needed, return the pan to the stove over low heat – be careful NOT to burn the chocolate)
- Pour into a heat safe bowl and set aside. Let the mixture return to room temperature and solidify.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, nutmeg, brown sugar, and sugar. Whisk together, then add the vegetable oil. Use an electric hand mixer to mix everything together until a thick paste forms, about 1-2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine eggs, egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Whisk together until all ingredients are fully combined. Add the wet ingredients to the rest of the batter. Mix for 1-2 minutes, until a thick batter forms. Fold in grated carrots, canned pineapple (with the juice), and chopped pecans.
- Spray 3 8-inch cake pans with nonstick baking spray. Divide the batter equally among the three pans and bake for 22-28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center with just a few crumbs. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling, continue to prepare the frosting. Add the cooled white chocolate/butter mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (it should be the texture of room temperature butter). Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, then add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. After two cups have been added, beat on high speed for 20-30 seconds until the frosting smooths out (it will be very thick). Continue to add the powdered sugar until it's all added.
- Once all of the powdered sugar is added, add vanilla extract, cinnamon, kosher salt, and cream cheese. Continue to mix until fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to mix for 30 seconds.
- Once the cakes are cooled, place one of the cakes on a cake stand. Level the cake if needed. Spread an even layer of cream cheese frosting all around the cake then place the second cake on top. Add an even layer of frosting and repeat with the third layer. Add a thin layer of frosting around the cake and place into the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes (crumb coat).
- Add the remaining frosting onto the cake and garnish with additional pecans or walnuts.
Notes
- Use freshly grated carrots instead of pre-shredded ones. Pre-shredded carrots are often too dry and lack flavor.
- Mix the batter gently: Overmixing the batter can activate the gluten in the flour, resulting in a dense cake. Stir just until the ingredients are combined.
- Let the cakes cool completely before frosting: Let the cake layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Frosting a warm cake is a recipe for disaster!
- Store properly: Store the finished cake in an airtight container to retain its moisture. If making it ahead, wrap the unfrosted layers tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze until ready to frost.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Eggs and maple syrup aren’t included in the ingredient list.
There’s 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp maple syrup. I hope that this helps, it’s listed in the recipe card!