Description
This moist and flavorful carrot cake is enriched with sourdough discard for a tender crumb and enhanced depth of flavor, while the browned butter cream cheese frosting adds a rich, nutty, and creamy finish. Perfect for celebrations or a comforting dessert, this cake balances warm spices, fresh carrots, and subtle citrus notes.
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 400 g (2 cups) white granulated sugar
- 8 oz (1 cup) canola oil or vegetable oil
- 250 g (1 cup) unsweetened applesauce
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 270 g (1 cup stirred down) 100% hydration sourdough discard
- 1 lb carrots, shredded (use freshly shredded, not pre-shredded)
- 100 g (1 cup) roughly chopped walnuts (optional, may substitute pecans)
- 80 g (1/2 cup) seedless raisins (optional)
- Butter, for greasing pan
Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 8 oz (1 block) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- 1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- 8 oz (about 1 3/4 cups) confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 13 x 9-inch cake pan or 2-3 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Grease the parchment and the visible sides of the pan with butter to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, Kosher salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another large bowl, whisk together sugar, canola oil, unsweetened applesauce, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth using a whisk or hand mixer. Add the eggs and mix again until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Sourdough Discard: Add the sourdough discard to the wet ingredients and gently fold it in with a silicone spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Fold the dry ingredients gently into the wet ingredients for a couple of folds, leaving some flour streaks visible at this point.
- Add Carrots, Nuts, and Raisins: Add shredded carrots and, if using, walnuts and seedless raisins. Continue folding together until the mixture is just combined with no flour streaks. Adding these before fully incorporating flour helps prevent heavier ingredients from sinking during baking and avoids overmixing.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s). For a 13 x 9-inch pan, bake for about 60 minutes; for two 9-inch pans, bake 35-40 minutes; for three 9-inch pans, check for doneness starting at 20-25 minutes.
- Check Doneness: Look for a golden top and edges that slightly pull away from the pan. Gently press the surface: it should spring back without dents. Ideally, the internal temperature should reach 200-210°F (93-99°C). A toothpick test can be misleading because carrot cake is moist; some crumbs on the toothpick are normal, but if wet batter appears, bake longer.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake(s) to cool completely for at least 2-3 hours before frosting.
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The butter will foam and change color from yellow to golden to toasty brown quickly. Once browned, remove from heat immediately and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool to room temperature for a thicker frosting or slightly warm for a thinner, icing-like consistency.
- Make the Frosting: Using a hand mixer, blend the cooled browned butter with softened cream cheese until smooth. Add orange juice, vanilla bean seeds or paste, and Kosher salt; mix until smooth. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar and blend again until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Frost the Cake: Use an offset spatula to evenly frost the completely cooled cake with the browned butter cream cheese frosting. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Freshly shredded carrots are recommended over pre-shredded for better moisture and texture.
- Sourdough discard adds a subtle tang and tender crumb but can be omitted; moisture and texture may vary slightly.
- Adjust nut and raisin quantities or omit based on preference or allergies.
- Check cake doneness by feel and temperature rather than toothpick for best results with moist carrot cake.
- Cooling the browned butter before mixing yields a thicker frosting; warmer butter makes a thinner icing.
- Leftover cake should be refrigerated due to cream cheese frosting, stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
