Carrot Cake with Brown Butter and Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Prepare and Brown Butter

Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a 6-cup or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 14 tablespoons of unsalted butter until it turns a nutty brown color. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this browned butter for the frosting.

2. Mix Carrots with Brown Butter and Sugars

Pour the remaining browned butter over 2 cups of grated carrots in a large mixing bowl and mix. Add ¾ cup dark-brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon baking powder, and mix well.

3. Add Eggs

Whisk in the 3 large eggs one at a time until the mixture is uniform in color.

4. Combine Flour and Buttermilk

Stir in half of the flour until just combined, then mix in ⅔ cup buttermilk. Finally, add the remaining flour and stir just until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

5. Bake the Cake

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a rack before removing it from the pan.

6. Make Frosting

For the frosting, beat together 8 ounces of cream cheese, the reserved 2 tablespoons of brown butter, ¾ cup dark-brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

7. Frost and Serve

Once the cake is cool, carefully remove it from the pan. If preferred, trim the dome off the cake. Spread the cream cheese frosting generously over the top, decorating as desired. Slice the cake and enjoy.