Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 8x8 square inch cake pan with with parchment paper, if you have metal binder clip, clip two of the opposite sides, spray the bottom and the sides. Sweet aside.

In a large mixing bowl, Whisk the packed dark brown sugar and vegetable oil. Whisk by hand well until the sugar is fully incorporated into the oil. About 2 minutes.

Add the eggs to the sugar-oil mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in the smooth unsweetened applesauce and pure vanilla extract until well combined.

In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground ginger. (This removes the clumps from the flour)

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, ming until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Gently fold in the finely grated carrots until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread it evenly with a spatula.

Bake in the preheated oven for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. While the cake is baking, start on making the brown butter!

Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

You can let the cake cool in the pan while you make the frosting.

Start by browning the butter. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns a golden brown color and has a nutty aroma. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn. Once browned, remove from heat and let it cool by placing it in the fridge for 20 -30 minutes stirring every 5-10 minutes!

In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the powdered sugar, about ½ cup at a time, to the cream cheese, beating well after each addition until smooth.

Once the browned butter has cooled slightly but is still liquid, slowly pour it into the cream cheese mixture, beating continuously until fully incorporated.

Add the pure almond extract to the frosting and beat until well combined. Taste and adjust the amount of almond extract if desired.

If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If it's too thick, you can add a splash of milk or cream to thin it out.

Once the frosting reaches the desired consistency, beat it on medium-high speed for about 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Once your carrot cake has completely cooled, generously spread the brown butter cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake.

If desired, garnish the frosted cake with sliced almonds for a decorative touch.