Brown Butter Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 14 ounces pecan pieces
• 2 pounds whole, unpeeled carrots
• 16 ounces unsalted butter
• 14 ounces white sugar
• 8 ounces light brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 ounce vanilla extract
• 6 large eggs, straight from the fridge
• 11 ounces all-purpose flour, such as Gold Medal
• 5 ounces whole wheat flour, not stone-ground
• To Finish:
• 1 recipe Cream Cheese Buttercream
• 1 recipe Twisted Carrot Roses, optional

Directions

1. To make the downtime for the 2 recipes line up, make the Cream Cheese Buttercream before you begin the cake. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Use a baking sheet for the pecans, toasting them until they turn golden, about 10 minutes; set them aside until fully cool. Meanwhile, peel and trim the carrots, shred them, and measure 24 ounces (6 cups, firmly packed). Sealed in a zip-top bag, the carrots can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
2. Use a 2-quart stainless steel saucier to melt the butter completely over medium-low heat. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, stirring with a heat-resistant spatula while the butter sputters and crackles. Keep cooking, stirring, and scraping up any browned solids from the pan as they appear, until the butter turns golden yellow and the noise stops. Pour the butter and all those browned bits into a heat-safe measuring cup, then continue with the recipe, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week; melt it again before using.
3. For the cake, move the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease 3 8-inch anodized aluminum cake pans and line them with parchment. If you do not have 3 pans, bake the layers in batches; the batter can sit at room temperature until needed.
4. Fit the whisk attachment onto a stand mixer. In the mixer bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Start on low just until everything is moistened, then turn the mixer to medium and whip until the mixture is thick and fluffy, about 8 minutes. While it whips, whisk the all-purpose flour with the whole wheat flour. Pour in the brown butter in a slow, steady stream, then reduce the mixer to low and add the flours. When the batter is smooth, use a flexible spatula to fold in the shredded carrots and pecans.
5. Divide the batter among the prepared pans, using about 33 ounces each. If you do not have 3 pans, the extra batter can wait at room temperature for up to 3 hours. Bake until the cakes are golden, about 45 minutes. A toothpick poked into the middle should come out with a few crumbs attached, and a gentle press with your fingertip should leave a shallow mark in the puffy crust.
6. Leave the cakes in the pans for 1 hour to cool, then loosen the edges with a butter knife. Turn the layers out onto a wire rack, peel away the parchment, and flip the cakes back upright. When covered in plastic, the cakes can stay at room temperature for a few hours. Prepare the buttercream.
7. Use a serrated knife to level the cakes, and save the scraps for snacking. Set 1 layer on a heavy cast iron turntable. If you like, place a waxed cardboard cake round underneath first; to keep it from sliding, tuck a damp paper towel scrap between the round and the turntable. Add exactly 1 cup buttercream and spread it evenly to the edges with an offset spatula. Repeat with the 2nd and 3rd layers, then use 1 cup buttercream to cover the sides, smoothing it as best you can. Refrigerate the cake until the buttercream is firm, about 30 minutes.
8. Whip the remaining buttercream again to bring back its creamy texture, then decorate the chilled cake as desired; finish with Twisted Carrot Roses, if using. Bring the cake back to cool room temperature before serving. Covered by a cake dome or inverted pot, the frosted cake and carrot roses will keep for 24 hours at cool room temperature. After you cut it, wrap leftover slices individually and store at cool room temperature for up to 2 days more.