Sourdough Brown Butter Carrot Cake

This Sourdough Brown Butter Carrot Cake is the last carrot cake recipe you’ll need, I promise. The secret ingredients are brown butter and orange zest, they take it from good to wait.. what is that?! The carrots keep this cake ultra moist, the citrus brightens everything up, and the rich cream cheese frosting ties it all together in the best way.

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Tools You’ll Need:

1. Mixing bowls– for mixing cake batter and icing.
2. Whisk + rubber spatula– for combining ingredients.
3. Microplane or zester– for zesting orange. I love this hand held zester linked here.
4. Box grater or food processor– for grating carrots. I like this grater linked here.
5. Saucepan or small pot– for browning the butter.
6. Digital kitchen scale (optional)– for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
7. Measuring cups and spoons- if not using a scale, and for smaller ingredients.
8. Cake pans– two 9-inch round pans or one 9×13-inch pan (I love these 9 inch cake pans linked here for even baking for a 2 tier cake or this 9×13 USA pan for sheet cakes).
9. Parchment paper- for lining pans.
10. Cooling rack- for cooling cakes.
11. Toothpick or cake tester- to test when cake is done.
12. Hand beaters or stand mixer- for whipping cream cheese frosting.
13. Sieve- for sifting the powdered sugar.
14. Offset or frosting spatula (optional) – for spreading frosting.
15. Cake stand or platter (optional)– for serving.
16. Pastry bags (optional)- for piping details on the cake.
17. Cake decorating tips (optional)- if you choose to pipe little carrots on the cake, I used Wilton tip #16 for the green tops and Wilton tip #10 for the carrot body.

Gather Your Ingredients:

1. All-purpose flour- I recommend all-purpose flour for a softer crumb to your cake, or you can also use cake flour.
2. Avocado Oil- Keeps the crumb ultra moist and soft for days. You can substitute this for anu neutral cooking oil.
3. Vanilla extract- balances all of the flavors out.
4. Maple Flavoring (optional)- something about a kick of maple in the batter that I absolutely love! This is entirely optional, but I love this maple extract linked here.
5. Granulated White Sugar- Sweetens and helps create a soft light cake.
6. Brown Sugar- Adds moisture and a rich caramelized depth.
7. Honey- adds a sweet floral note and helps keep the cake extra tender. You can substitute the honey for brown sugar if needed.
8. Whole Milk– adds richness to the batter and keep it hydrated.
9. Sour Cream– Gives the cake ultra softness and moisture.
10. Sourdough Starter- (flat or past peak, can be cold or room temperature). This is the magic that ferments your cake if you choose to ferment the batter overnight. You can substitute this by replacing the starter with 1/2 cup (120g) Greek yogurt (full-fat) and 2-3 Tbsps extra milk.
11. Unsalted Butter- Used to make your brown butter that adds a deep nutty flavor that makes your cake stand out. You’ll also need butter for your cream cheese frosting; if you use salted butter, reduce the salt in the frosting or cake in half.
12. Eggs + egg yolks- provide richness and and creates a tender cake.
13. Whole carrots- I recommend using whole carrots and shredding them finely for the best results in the cake. Don’t use pre-shredded carrots, they’ll be too chunky.
14. Baking powder + baking soda- Gives the cake lift and keeps it from being too dense.
15. Salt– balances sweetness and enhances overall flavors. I prefer a high quality sea salt.
16. Orange- the zest of an orange amplifies the carrot and spices in the cake .
17. Pecans- toasted and chopped pecans are best for topping the cake. If you prefer walnuts you can substitute for those as well.
18. Cream cheese– gives the frosting that tangy classic taste.
19. Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Cardamom- used to perfectly spice the cake for that classic carrot cake flavor.
20. Powdered Sugar (or confectioner’s) – used in the cream cheese frosting to sweeten and thicken the frosting. Do not substitute this sugar for granulated sugar, or your frosting will be gritty.

Instructions

Step 1: Overnight Fermentation

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oil, sourdough starter, vanilla, maple flavoring (if using), white sugar, brown sugar, honey, milk, and sour cream.

Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours). If you choose to skip the overnight fermentation, proceed with the recipe as listed below.

Step 2: Brown the Butter

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes.

Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and allow it to cool before adding it to the cake batter.

Step 3: Shred the Carrots

Wash and dry the carrots, and trim the ends. Using the fine side of a box grater, grate the carrots until you have very small shreds. I recommend grating them fresh rather than using pre-shredded carrots because the finer texture blends better into the batter and prevents large chunks in the dough. Set aside the carrots while you mix the dough.

Step 4: Finish the Cake Batter

If you’re batter was fermenting in the refrigerator overnight, allow to rest at room temperature for an hour to warm up. Gently fold the batter after it has warmed up to pop any gas bubbles before scooping. Skip this step if you aren’t fermenting the batter overnight.

To the fermented base, add the browned butter, eggs and yolks, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. Whisk the batter until it’s smooth and no lumps remain, but avoid overmixing as this makes the cake tough.

Fold in the grated carrot and orange zest into the cake batter. Don’t overbeat your batter!

Step 5: Bake Cakes

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or one 9×13-inch pan. Tap excess flour out of pans. Optionally, line bottoms of cake pans with parchment to make cakes release faster. This also helps them not to stick!

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan(s). For 2 9-inch pans, this is roughly 3 cups (825g) of batter per pan.

Bake for 40–45 minutes (round pans) or 45–50 minutes (9×13-inch).

A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean with just a few moist crumbs.

Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make cakes easier to frost, wrap with plastic and place on a cookie sheet to refrigerate cakes. You can also freeze them after wrapping if you choose to frost cakes at a later time.

Prepare your frosting while the cakes cool.

Step 6: Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy with hand mixers. Scrape sides of bowl down if needed to make sure cream cheese and butter and completely combined and fluffy.

Add vanilla and salt, and beat into frosting until combined.

Sift powdered sugar if desired (makes less clumps and a smoother consistency). Gradually beat the powdered sugar into the frosting until light and creamy.

Note: If you’re making a two layer cake, I recommend doubling the frosting to have enough to frost the cake and left over to decorate as you’d like.

Step 7: Assembling your Cake

Single sheet cake directions: If you’re making a 9×13 single sheet cake, spread frosting over the top of the cake, decorate as desired with left over frosting and sprinkle generously with the toasted chopped pecans.

Two-tier cake: If you choose to make a two-layer cake, place one layer on a serving plate or platter. Spread frosting on top and sides, fully coating first layer of cake. Add the second layer and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up the icing, and then add more frosting and/or chopped toasted pecans to the top and sides.

How to pipe mini carrots: I decorated my cake with tiny carrots all over randomly by coloring a bit of left over frosting orange and green. To pipe the mini carrots, I used Wilton tip #16 for the green tops and Wilton tip #10 for the carrot body.

Yields: Two 8-inch layers or one 9×13-inch cake

How To Store:

Make ahead: Fermented base can be prepped the day before.

Refrigerating: Store the frosted cake in the fridge (airtight) for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Wrap unfrosted cake layers tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.

FAQ’s

If you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to drop a comment and check out more of my sourdough cakes!

Sourdough Cakes:

1. Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Cake (with cream cheese frosting!)
2. Long-Fermented Sourdough Chocolate Cake (moist and fluffy!)
3. Sourdough Vanilla Cake (moist and fluffy!)

Sourdough Brown Butter Carrot Cake

Joselyn Buehler

Celebrate the arrival of spring with this Sourdough Brown Butter Carrot Cake! A fresh, festive twist on a classic favorite. Finely grated carrots and citrus zest bring brightness, while brown butter adds a rich nutty flavor. Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect bake to welcome longer spring days.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Fermentation Time: 8 hours hrs

Servings 12

Equipment

• Mixing bowls – for mixing cake batter and icing.
• Whisk + rubber spatula – for combining ingredients.
• Microplane or zester – for zesting orange. I love this hand held zester linked here.
• Box grater or food processor – for grating carrots. I like this grater linked here.
• Saucepan or small pot – for browning butter.
• Digital kitchen scale (optional) – for accurate measuring, especially helpful with sourdough baking. I linked the one I like here.
• Measuring cups and spoons – if not using a scale, and for smaller ingredients.
• Cake pans – two 9-inch round pans or one 9×13-inch pan (I love these 9 inch cake pans linked here for even baking for a 2 tier cake or this 9×13 USA pan for sheet cakes).
• Parchment paper – for lining pans.
• Cooling rack – for cooling cakes.
• Toothpick or cake tester – to test when cake is done.
• Hand beaters or stand mixer – for whipping cream cheese frosting.
• Sieve – for sifting the powdered sugar.
• Offset or frosting spatula (optional) – for spreading frosting.
• Cake stand or platter (optional) – for serving the cake.
• Pastry bags (optional) – for piping details on the cake.
• Cake decorating tips (optional) – if you choose to pipe little carrots on the cake, I used Wilton tip #16 for the green tops and Wilton tip #10 for the carrot body.

Ingredients

  

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Overnight Fermented Base:

• 2 1/2 (320g) cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 (138g) cup avocado oil or neutral oil
• 1/2 (120g) cup sourdough starter
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp maple flavoring
• 1/2 (100g) cup granulated white sugar
• 1 (200g) cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 (120g) cup honey
• 2/3 (150g) cup whole milk or buttermilk
• 1/2 (120g) cup full-fat sour cream

Add the Next Morning:

• 1/2 (113g) cup unsalted butter for browning
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 (240g) cups finely grated carrots
• 1 (8g) Tbsp orange zest or one orange
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cardamom

Cream Cheese Icing:

• 8 (225g) oz cream cheese softened
• 1/2 (113g) cup unsalted butter softened
• 3 3/4 (450g) cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For Topping:

• 1/2 (60g) cup pecans toasted and chopped

Instructions

 

Step 1: Overnight Fermentation

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oil, sourdough starter, vanilla, maple flavoring (if using), white sugar, brown sugar, honey, milk, and sour cream.
  2 1/2 (320g) cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 (138g) cup avocado oil, 1/2 (120g) cup sourdough starter, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp maple flavoring, 1/2 (100g) cup granulated white sugar, 1 (200g) cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 (120g) cup honey, 2/3 (150g) cup whole milk, 1/2 (120g) cup full-fat sour cream
• Note: Substitute for discard is listed in footnotes or FAQ's.
• Optional Overnight Fermentation: Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours). If you choose to skip the overnight fermentation, proceed with the recipe as listed below.

Step 2: Brown the Butter

• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and turns a rich amber color with brown specks at the bottom, emitting a nutty aroma. Remove from heat immediately. This process typically takes about 5-7 minutes.
  1/2 (113g) cup unsalted butter
• Once butter is browned, remove the saucepan from heat and allow it to cool before adding it to the cake batter.

Step 3: Shred the Carrots

• Wash and dry the carrots, and trim the ends. Using the fine side of a box grater, grate the carrots until you have very small shreds. I recommend grating them fresh rather than using pre-shredded carrots because the finer texture blends better into the batter and prevents large chunks in the dough. Set aside the carrots while you mix the dough.
  2 (240g) cups finely grated carrots

Step 4: Finish the Cake Batter

• If you’re batter was fermenting in the refrigerator overnight, allow to rest at room temperature for an hour to warm up. Gently fold the batter after it has warmed up to pop any gas bubbles before scooping. Skip this step if you aren’t fermenting the batter overnight.
• To the fermented base, add the browned butter, eggs and yolks, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cardamom. Whisk the batter until it’s smooth and no lumps remain, but avoid overmixing as this makes the cake tough.
  2 eggs, 2 egg yolks, 2 tsp baking powder, 1½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ¼ tsp ground cardamom
• Fold in the grated carrot and orange zest into the cake batter. Don’t overbeat your batter!
  1 (8g) Tbsp orange zest

Step 5: Bake Cakes

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or one 9×13-inch pan. Tap excess flour out of pans. Optionally, line bottoms of cake pans with parchment to make cakes release faster. This also helps them not to stick!
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan(s). For 2 9-inch pans, this is roughly 3 cups (825g) of batter per pan.
• Bake for 40–45 minutes (round pans) or 45–50 minutes (9×13-inch).
• A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make cakes easier to frost, wrap with plastic and place on a cookie sheet to refrigerate cakes. You can also freeze them after wrapping if you choose to frost cakes at a later time.
• Prepare your frosting while the cakes cool.

Step 6: Make Cream Cheese Frosting

• Note: I recommend doubling the frosting if you're making a two-tier cake to have extra to cover the cake and decorate.
• Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy with hand mixers. Scrape sides of bowl down if needed to make sure cream cheese and butter and completely combined and fluffy.
  8 (225g) oz cream cheese, 1/2 (113g) cup unsalted butter
• Add vanilla and salt, and beat into frosting until combined.
  1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Sift powdered sugar if desired (makes less clumps and a smoother consistency). Gradually beat the powdered sugar into the frosting until light and creamy.
  3 3/4 (450g) cups powdered sugar

Step 7: Assembling your Cake

• Single sheet cake directions: If you're making a 9×13 single sheet cake, spread frosting over the top of the cake, decorate as desired with left over frosting and sprinkle generously with the toasted pecans.
• Two-tier cake: If you choose to make a two-layer cake, place one layer on a serving plate or platter. Spread frosting on top and sides, fully coating first layer of cake. Add the second layer and frost the top and sides. Refrigerate 30 minutes to firm up the icing, and then add more frosting and/or chopped toasted pecans to the top and sides.
• How to pipe mini carrots: I decorated my cake with tiny carrots all over randomly by coloring a bit of left over frosting orange and green. To pipe the mini carrots, I used Wilton tip #16 for the green tops and Wilton tip #10 for the carrot body.
• Yields: Two 8-inch layers or one 9×13-inch cake

Notes

How To Store:

Make ahead: Fermented base can be prepped the day before.

Refrigerating: Store the frosted cake in the fridge (airtight) for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Wrap unfrosted cake layers tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.

Note: You can substitute the starter with 1/2 cup (120g) Greek yogurt (full-fat) and 2-3 Tbsps extra milk. 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

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