I don’t need much convincing when it comes to carrot cake. I’ll have it any which way you’re making it. Is it more coconut than carrot? Chocked full of walnuts and dried cranberries and pineapple and raisins? I’m here for it. Mostly, I’m here for the cream cheese frosting so…. whatever is underneath gets a hearty thumbs up from me.
If you have my first cookbook, there’s a Carrot Bundt Cake, kitchen-sink-style, in that in has every dang thing in it.
You might also enjoy these Carrot Cake Cupcakes topped with dreamy Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting.
We’ve got bells. We’ve got whistles. We’ve got it all.
With this loaf cake, we’re stripping it all away.
This if this loaf as a simple, sweet and dense cake. Along the lines of a banana bread, without the banana – with a big heap of fresh shredded carrots.
Why should banana get all the glory?
Here’s what you’ll need:
• Flour and granulated sugar. Leavening and spices.
This cake works really well in the gluten-free arena if you’d like to substitute flours. I love Cup4Cup gluten free flour because it produces the lightest gf breads but it does contain milk powder. Bob’s Red Mill is also a great option!
• Large eggs and buttermilk.
• Butter that’s been melted to brown. It’ll smell deliciously nutty. Pro tips: How To Brown Butter (I don’t want you to burn anything, k?)
• Carrots, peeled and grated on the fine side of a box grater.
Let’s go!
We’ll start by mixing the dry ingredients together.
It starts with flour and sugar in a large bowl.
Baking soda is our leavener. It will react with the buttermilk and create that distinct rise in the oven.
Salt, too. As it goes with every fine baked good.
Spices are up to you! You can keep this bread plain and sweet though I like a big dose of cinnamon, ground ginger and freshly grated nutmeg. I think they balance the sweetness with intention.
Now for the wet ingredients.
We’ll start with buttermilk! (the best of all baking milks)
Two large eggs.
Pro tip: Why We Use Large Eggs!
We’ll add the browned butter (and all those browned bits) to the egg and milk mixture, whisking it thoroughly to combine.
The carrots!
Peel two carrots (this should be enough but it depends on the size of yours) before grating them. The outsides have be a bit dry and have a bitterness that we don’t want in our bread.
Grate on the fine side of a box grater.
Watch your fingers. Always.
Add the shredded carrots to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
A spoon is the way to go here.
A whisk will catch too much of the carrot strands.
Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula… get all the goodness in there.
(I’m bossy.)
The batter will be thicker than pourable and feel almost fluffy.
Grease a loaf pan and, for ease, line the pan with parchment paper and grease the paper, too.
The paper makes it super easy to lift the bread out of the pan once it’s baked and cooled.
Can we get to the good stuff?
Cream Cheese Frosting! (I’m shouting that from the depths of my heart.)
The cake needs to be completely cooled before it’s frosted. Not mostly cool. Not kinda cool. Completely Cool. Trust me on this. We’re frosting a sloped surface and if the cake is warm at all, the precious frosting will slide right off.
You can leave the frosting as is OR add chopped almonds and pistachios.
May I humbly suggest you add the nuts. The salt and crunch is really very nice.
A quick spell in the refrigerator will help chill are slightly harden the frosting. It will always be a little sticky but that’s part of the charm.
Dense, but somehow tender and light, studded with orange bits and carrot flavor. It’s really simple and that’s just what I wanted it to be. If you have a few carrots and a bit of butter…. you’ve got this breadcake. Delicious with out without the cream cheese frosting.
The recipe below is for a single loaf though I happen to feel like this recipe is just begging to be doubled.
These photos were made with the ever-dear Jon Melendez.
PrintBrowned Butter Carrot Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/4 cup finely grated carrots
For the Frosting
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 – 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
- roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts. When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the pan as the butter cooks. When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl. Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Stir in the grated carrots. When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.
- Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients. Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour. Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.
- Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, in a medium bowl stir together cream cheese and butter. Add sugar and salt. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of cream, adding more if necessary. The frosting should be thick and spreadable.
- Remove the loaf cake from the pan and spread the frosting over the cooled loaf cake. Sprinkle generously with chopped nuts. Slice generously and enjoy!
- Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature.
Angelique
Just put this into the oven and i’m realizing my batter was much thicker than your photos, almost like a cookie dough but not quite. Perhaps my butter had less water in it than yours? Is it salvageable at this point? Should I bake it a little longer?
★★★★★
chai_caramba
This carrot cake was AMAZING. Although I didn’t have cream cheese and had to improvise a bit on the icing front, the cake itself was incredible. I will absolutely be making this again. Thank you, Joy!
★★★★★
dianne
this was one of the most delicious carrot breads ever!!!!! It made it 3 days and the third day was even better than the first! this recipe is a total keeper!
★★★★★
Lu
What is the weight of the carrots? I weigh everything when I bake.
Janet
You mention studded with orange bits and carrot flavor. What orange? I may have to make this today!
Jasmine
Joy, I think you’re awesome. Your recipes are yum, IG content is top notch and music tastes are even better.
Please can you do metric versions of recipe quantities for your European fans? Thank you!
Lisa
The flavor was perfect but mine came out dry! I have a new oven so maybe it runs hot, I love that this recipe doesn’t have “the works” which most carrot cake recipes have. The recipes reads 1/4 buttermilk. Am I reading this properly? It seems like a small amount.
Heather
My husband and I just made this! It was delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe. Made our night!
Emily
This! This is what I’ve been looking for! I do not enjoy a kitchen-sink style carrot cake and I was convinced there was something simpler and more sophisticated out there and here it is. I’ll bake up a test batch and if it passes muster (I have very gracious neighbors who are willing guinea pigs) then it will probably land in my teacher gift rotation. Thank you!
Lisa
This looks perfect! I am not a fan of lots of bits in carrot cake. The nuts, raisins, too much! This looks so moist and the perfect texture.
Amy
I made this cake for a friends birthday and it went down really well. I added some orange zest to the cake and the icing. Great recipe!
Alicia
I love the kitchen sink carrot cake (in your book). Trying this one today so i can compare!
Christina M.
I made this carrot cake a week ago, and I have to admit I don’t like it that much. It is moist and dense, as I like my cakes, but not that intense in its taste, and what bothers me most is that the baking soda makes it smell like, well, fish gone bad.
I admit, I don’t have the frosting, maybe it would have improved the taste (well, of course it would have, frosting makes everything taste better).
I keep it in the fridge, and it is still quite good to go after one week.
I think I will give the cake another try, but this time with baking powder and I will level up the spices.
Olivia
I made this for Easter, and I’m sure it’s amazing, but mine turned out so dry! My oven cooks rather quickly so I checked it at 40 minutes. It came out clean with a toothpick in one spot, but in another spot (this time in a crack that had formed while baking) so much batter clung to the toothpick. So SAD! So I kept sticking it back in for a couple minutes at a time until I honestly just gave up. So I let it cool, wrapped it tightly, and iced it the next day. What I want to know is why do cracks happen and why did I have certain spots done and other spots in the loaf cake undone? I’m sure they’re related, I just don’t know why :(
Molly
Joy, this cake made an appearance at our Easter brunch, and it was amazing! Dense but moist, and not too sweet, we all loved it. This recipe will definitely be making a comeback each Easter at my house!
Teresa
The flavor of this loaf was quite nice but I found it dry. This may have been operator error. It took about 5 minutes beyond the suggested baking time before my tester didn’t come out wet. But perhaps if I had taken it out at the 45 minutes mark, it would have finished itself off during the 15 minutes rest time.
Riddhima Nair
This looks so delicious, thanks for the recipe.
Sarah
Joy, just tried making this recipe … it’s superbbbbbb!!!! Question : with frosting, can it withstand 4 days keep in room temperature?
Lisa
I tried this recipe today and it turned out really good =)
I made it with whole wheat flour, though, and I think it’s better to stick to the recipe and use all-purpose flour. The taste of the carrots and the melted butter doesn’t really come out with whole wheat flour…
A little sip of lemon juice in the frosting, however, works really well ^___^-
OH LA LATES
This loaf cake looks so delicious and I’m excited that it can be made gluten-free as well. Yay! Definitely going to try this.
E | | https://www.ohlalatkes.com
Melissa in Montana
EEE! So excited to try this for our holiday dinner this weekend! You make beautiful things seem so approachable for the “rest of us” Thanks Joy! You inspire my confidence to bake!
Alison
As much as you love cream cheese frosting, my husband equally loathes it. Any ideas for an alternative?
Sina
Wow, just wow! I love carrot cake, I so love your browned butter banana bread and make it all the time, and I think this is the perfect and easy-to-make cake for easter monday (…dare I say breakfast? yes of course!). Happy Easter, Joy, and thank you for this beautiful cake! Sina
Katie
Do you think its possible to add raisins to the batter?
joythebaker
Yes, of course!
Abby @ Heart of a Baker
I can’t believe I STILL haven’t made carrot cake yet, eek! Need to get on that!
Emily
Yesss to allllll carrot cake variations! I am making the Everything but the Kitchen Sink Carrot cake for Easter. Also, love your outfit.
Sarah S
If perhaps I’m feeling more paired down than your glorious kitchen-sink-style carrot bundt cake, would this recipie and cook time also work out in a bundt pan?
joythebaker
This isn’t enough batter for a bundt pan. You might consider 1 1/2 times the recipe and keep an eye on the cake at 40 minutes.
Del's cooking twist
Haha, Saurs made me laugh so much! :) Anyway, looooove the idea of this recipe and I’m gonna bake it tomorrow, skipping my two favorite from my blog. This one might be my new favorite :) I don’t come to say Hi often but I love your blog and your stories on Insta. Keep up the good work, we love you! Xoxo. Del
Laura
The way you folded the parchment paper to get it to fit neatly in your loaf pan just changed my life.
Jennifer
Will this recipe work in a bundt pan?
joythebaker
This isn’t enough batter to fill a bundt pan. You might consider 1 1/2 times the recipe though I haven’t tried this myself.
auntiemaryann
I like the smaller size Bundt pan for this size recipe. The big one would still work; the slices just wouldn’t be very tall.
Sarah M. Shumway
I’m terribly curious why my comment/question didn’t pass moderation. Was it something I said?!
Noreen
This looks so delicious and I was so pleased to see that GF flour works well. Do you think I could also make it dairy free by using coconut milk with lemon juice to create “buttermilk”? I’m visiting New Orleans for the first time next month! So excited! Unfortunately you have events the day before and after I am there. Enjoy your blog and recipes so much!
Samantha
I feel like this loaf will help soothe the soul of a dear friend of mine who is going through a trying time at the moment. Thank you for another fantastic contribution to our lives!
Meghan
You are the Queen Mother of browned butter! I always think of you when a recipe calls for it.
Sarah
We’ve started a new Easter tradition (last year) of a softball game and potluck picnic at a nearby park instead of a fancy dinner. I think this cake will be the perfect dessert to perfect to bring! Thank you!
Sarah
I think this cake will be the perfect dessert to to bring! **
Natalie
I love carrot cakes and this loaf looks and sounds so delicious! I LOVE the texture ?
Sarah M. Shumway
Hey, Joy! This recipe couldn’t have come at a better time, as I was planning on making (gluten free) carrot cake cupcakes this weekend. Do you have any pro tips about making these in a muffin tin instead of a loaf pan? Thanks a bunch!
Ilona
I adore carrot cake and want to try this recipe, but here is what I am wondering: I have been juicing carrots a lot lately, and find it sad to be putting all the pulp into my compost bin. There is still a lot of flavour (though not as much moisture) in the pulp, and so… Would it be reasonable to use carrot pulp in this recipe, and do you think more buttermilk would be enough to add the missing moisture, or would it be better to use more butter? I think it would definitely end up being less sweet, given how much sugar the carrot juice retains.
lee
Thank you for a carrot cake-ish recipe that doesn’t, in fact, take a kitchen-sink approach! =)
As someone who isn’t a fan of raisins, nuts, or other such items in my carrot cake, I am looking forward to trying this recipe.
Donna c
Yes,please! Put anything you like in a carrot cake and as long as there’s cream cheese frosting on top… I’m so in! Thanks for sharing this! I guess my mom gets a 1/2 of a carrot cake loaf for Easter!
Rena
I have only one answer for a carrot cake: YES! Especially if the carrot cake is that perfect like your carrot cake looks :)
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com
Saurs
Y’know, I come here for innovative techniques using unexpected ingredients, but I think you’ve outdone yourself here, Joy. Getting carrot from banana is true pastry alchemy. :D