I make - Browned Butter Carrot Cake (New Favorite)

Yes, this is my new favorite of carrot cake recipe. I was initially intrigued by the browned butter but to be honest with you, its flavor was overshadowed by the spice mix. Not that I mind, cardamon, cinnamon and nutmeg, all my kind of things. The cake is light, with lots of carrots, feels healthy enough to have it at breakfast (sans frosting). My go-to recipe for now.

Browned Butter Carrot Cake, adapted from justine doiran

Ingredients for cake
350 grams carrots, grated
115 grams salted butter
150 grams dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
210 grams gluten free flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sultanas
Walnut pieces for topping (optional)

For the cardamom cream cheese frosting (optional)
1/4 cup salted butter softened (57 grams)
1/4 cup cream cheese softened (57 grams)
1 cup powdered sugar (120 grams)
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Grease and line a loaf tin or a 20x20 metal pan. Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 180°C.

Set a small sauté pan over medium heat and add all of salted butter. Let it melt and foam. The milk solids will begin to brown at the bottom of the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until deeply brown. Transfer this to the bowl with the carrots. Mix so the carrots cool the butter.

Add brown sugar, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the bowl. Mix all the wet ingredients together.

Add to the bowl, flour, xanthan gum, all spices, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix to form a batter. It will be thick, so don’t worry!

Mix sultanas into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin or square pan. Dot the top with walnuts (if using).

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.

While the loaf is baking, use an electric mixer to beat together 57 grams of salted butter and 57 grams of cream cheese. Add 120 grams of powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom and continue to beat until an icing forms. Transfer this to a piping bag.

When the loaf is out of the oven let it cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

The cake itself microwaves well to bring back the light and fluffy texture.