This Carrot Cake Loaf topped with decadent Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting is packed with delicious flavor from shredded carrots, pineapple, coconut, and walnuts. It's a delightful sweet treat perfect for any occasion.
Course Bread, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword brown butter, carrot cake, cream cheese frosting, quick bread
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line two 8x4-inch loaf baking pans with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl add the eggs, melted butter, carrots, pineapple, coconut, vanilla, and buttermilk. Whisk to combine. Stir in the flour mixture, then fold in the walnuts. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
Divide the batter between the two prepared baking pans. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (To prevent over-browning, loosely cover the loaves with aluminum foil towards the end of the baking process.)
Cool the loaves in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, remove them from the pan and allow them to completely cool on a wire rack.
In the meantime, prepare the frosting. Start by making the brown butter by placing the butter into a skillet over medium heat. Stir while cooking the butter. Once melted, wait for the butter to foam up and then subside. At this point, you should notice little brown bits at the bottom of your pan as well as a nutty aroma. Remove the butter from the heat, then transfer the butter to a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl into the freezer for about 10 minutes to allow the butter to return to a solid form.
Add the brown butter and cream cheese to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer to combine. Add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla and beat slowly to combine. Add as much milk as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.
Optional: Remove two small (about 1/4 cup) portions of the frosting and place them in separate bowls. Use gel food coloring to dye one portion orange and one portion green. Transfer to a piping bag and cut off a small portion of the tip.
Once your loaves are completely cooled, spread the frosting onto the top. Use the colored frosting to pipe small carrots on top of the frosting.
Enjoy immediately or store sealed in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.