Brown Butter Carrot Cake with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrots are one of our favorite vegetables and I’ll often make recipes like carrot coulis, carrot salad, or roasted carrots. This homemade carrot cake is another way to enjoy all that carrots have to offer. It’s simple to make, moist, and full of delicious flavors. 

Years ago I came up with a grain and gluten-free carrot cake with pineapple. That recipe used coconut flour and lots of eggs for protein. While I still like that recipe and make it on occasion, I wanted to have another carrot cake recipe on hand that was more traditional. 

Carrot Cake Ingredients

Now that our family includes some organic flour on occasion, I’ve been making more baked goods with it. It’s an easy way to make a healthier dessert that has the same taste and texture as traditional desserts. That doesn’t mean it’s packed with sugar, vegetable oils, or other ingredients I prefer to avoid though!

Carrot cake ingredients typically include flour, sugar, carrots, spices, oil, and eggs. Then there are the optional mix-ins like raisins, pineapple, and shredded coconut. This recipe is very similar, but I’ve opted for raw honey instead of sugar. And it uses butter instead of vegetable oil. Applesauce adds a little more moisture and natural sweetness. 

Need a gluten-free carrot cake? Simply substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the organic all-purpose flour. 

How to Make Carrot Cake

The long list of ingredients can be intimidating at first, but this really is a simple recipe. You’re basically combining all of the wet ingredients, then combining all of the dry ingredients, then adding them together. Finally, you’ll stir in the mix-ins like carrots, raisins, and coconut. 

There is the additional step of browning the butter first, which really adds an extra layer of flavor to the cake. Browned butter tastes a lot like caramel, but without the extra sugar. 

Tip: When you’re browning the butter, be sure to keep a close eye on it. It needs to be removed from the stove after it’s browned, but before it’s gotten really dark brown (aka burnt). Because burnt butter carrot cake is not delicious. 

Cream Cheese Frosting For Carrot Cake (Without Refined Sugar)

Carrot cake wouldn’t be what it is without the iconic cream cheese frosting. It adds a nice tang to the sweetness, so the dessert isn’t overwhelmingly sweet. Most cream cheese frosting recipes call for powdered sugar to help thicken and make it spreadable. My version uses raw honey for sweetness and butter for a buttercream frosting consistency.  I prefer honey in this recipe, but maple syrup would taste good too. 

Instead of powdered sugar to thicken, I used arrowroot starch (also known as arrowroot flour). It helps to thicken without making the frosting super sweet. Start with 2 Tablespoons of arrowroot and add more as needed to get the right consistency. You want it to be thick enough it won’t fall down the cake, but not so thick that it’s difficult to spread. 

Different Pan Options

This cake is 4 layers high because I like the look of the extra layers. If you don’t have four 6-inch cake pans, then two 9-inch round pans will also work. Simply change the bake time to 30-35 minutes if using 9-inch pans. If you want to make cupcakes, then bake for 18-22 minutes.

You could also make a sheet pan carrot cake, but I haven’t personally tried it. Let me know if you do! If you’re craving carrot cake or need a fancy (but easy!) spring dessert, then give this carrot cake a try. 

Brown Butter Carrot Cake With Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

This delicious carrot cake is moist and naturally sweetened with honey and

Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

• Melt the butter over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until it foams and turns golden with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl, allowing it to cool for about 5 minutes.

• Grate the carrots using the medium holes of a box grater.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line four 6-inch cake pans (or see notes for other pan options).

• To the cooled brown butter, whisk in the honey or maple syrup, applesauce, eggs, coconut milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and fully combined.

• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the grated carrots, chopped nuts, raisins, and shredded coconut if using.

• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 24–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

• To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the honey, vanilla, salt, and arrowroot starch, and continue beating until light, fluffy, and spreadable. Start with 2 Tablespoons of arrowroot and increase as needed to thicken the frosting to the desired consistency.

• Place one cake layer on a serving plate and spread a layer of frosting on top. Repeat with the remaining layers. Apply a thin crumb coat over the entire cake. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to set before finishing with the remaining frosting.

Nutrition Facts

Brown Butter Carrot Cake With Honey Cream Cheese Frosting

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 399
Calories from Fat 234

% Daily Value*

Fat 26g40%

Saturated Fat 15g94%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 3g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 86mg29%

Sodium 306mg13%

Potassium 254mg7%

Carbohydrates 39g13%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 20g22%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin A 3410IU68%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 70mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Garnish with toasted nuts, a sprinkle of cinnamon, or a drizzle of honey if desired.
• Serve at room temperature for the best flavor and texture.
• You can also make this in two 9-inch round cake pans.

Does Carrot Cake Need to Be Refrigerated?

Since this recipe uses cream cheese, any leftovers should be refrigerated. I’ve also found that cakes/muffins made with applesauce or other fruit as a sweetener spoil faster at room temperature. How long does it last in the refrigerator? Well, as long as your family doesn’t eat it right away, it will last for up to a week!

It tastes best at room temperature though, so I like to pull it out and let the slice warm up before eating. 

Can You Freeze Carrot Cake? 

Yes, and no. Some recommend freezing the unfrosted and cooled cake layers or individual slices. They’ll last for about 2-3 months in the freezer this way. It is not recommended to freeze a whole, frosted carrot cake. The frosting can crack and it may not look as pretty, but it will still be tasty. Just be sure to use an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. 

What are some of your favorite carrot recipes? Leave a comment and let us know!