Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake is the perfect addition to any Fall dessert table thanks to the coffee buttercream that takes this up a notch. The beauty is that once you’ve browned butter, you can keep it covered for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.

Ingredients and substitutions for Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake

• Butter: Unsalted butter was used to make the browned or caramelized butter for the cake with 180 grams or 6.3 ounces providing the quantity of butter needed for the cake. You require more due to the loss of moisture that occurs during the browning process.
• Sugar: The use of light brown sugar compliments the pumpkin and adds a depth of flavor. You could replace with a mix of light and dark brown sugar. It's not recommended to substitute with only superfine or caster sugar as this would only add sweetness.
• Eggs: Room temperature eggs, add structure to our cake, the egg helps to bind everything together so are essential. Folding egg whites into our cake batter helps to create a nice and light consistency in our cake crumb.
• Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin was used as it ensures an even consistency for you to replicate in your own kitchen. Canned also includes less moisture than homemade mashed pumpkin.
• Flour: Plain or all purpose flour adds a light texture to the cake and you’ll keep a light crumb by only mixing until combined.
• Baking soda and powder: These help the cake rise for a light crumb and avoid a stodgy result.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to bake Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake:

Step 1: Beat the butter and sugar: Beat until pale and well combined.

Step 2: Yolk it: Add in the egg yolks and whip until well combined.

Step 3: Pumpkin: Add in the pumpkin and combine until smooth.

Step 4: Sift: Sieve the dry ingredients into the bowl and beat until just combined.

Step 5: Whip the whites separately: Whip until soft peaks form.

Step 6: Fold: Gently fold the whites into the batter until fully incorporated.

Step 7: Cake tin: Spoon the batter into your cake tin and smooth out evenly. Bake until golden.

Step 8: Buttercream: Whip the sugar, butter instant coffee and ground cinnamon in a bowl until pale.

Step 9: Spread and serve: Spoon on top of the cake and swoosh. Slice and serve with a hot drink beside.

More Fall cakes you'll love

French Pear Cake

Pumpkin Cake

Dorset Apple Cake

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake

Sylvie Taylor

This Pumpkin Cake pairs the warm undertones of brown butter and pumpkin together for a light crumb topped with a brown butter buttercream for a perfect Fall cake.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Calories 358 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cake

• 150 grams / 5.3 ounces brown butter softened
• 50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
• 150 grams / ¾ cup brown sugar
• 165 grams / 3 large eggs room temperature and separated
• 250 grams / 1 cup + 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
• 240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
• 5 grams / 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 grams / 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Brown butter frosting

• 110 grams / 3.9 ounces browned butter softened
• 2 grams / 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 6 grams / 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 224 grams / 2 cups confectioner’s/icing sugar sifted
• ? teaspoon sea or kosher salt

Instructions

 

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 20 cm or 8 inch round cake tin with parchment paper.
• Place the butter and sugars into a bowl and beat on medium until pale and well combined, approximately 3 minutes.
• Add in the egg yolks and whip until well combined, a further 1 minute.
• Add in the pumpkin and combine until the mixture is smooth.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl and beat on low until just combined.
• In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Add the whipped egg whites to the cake batter and gently fold the until it is a smooth mixture and fully incorporated.
• Spoon the batter into your cake tin smooth out evenly.
• Bake for 40 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

Brown butter frosting

• Meanwhile, place the browned butter, ground cinnamon and sugar into a bowl and whip on low until pale and fluffy, approximately 4 minutes.
• Spoon onto the top of your cake and spread out evenly.
• Slice up and serve.
• Dig in!

Notes

• Browned Butter: Unsalted butter was used to make the browned or caramelized butter for the cake with 180 grams or 6.3 ounces providing the quantity of butter needed for the cake. You require more due to the loss of moisture that occurs during the browning process. It can be stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to two weeks.
• How brown butter works in the cake: Brown butter brings a delightful nutty and caramel-like flavor to the pumpkin cake. It adds complexity and richness that perfectly complements the warm spices and earthiness of the pumpkin.
• Pumpkin: Canned pumpkin was used as it ensures an even consistency for you to replicate in your own kitchen. Canned also includes less moisture than homemade mashed pumpkin.
• Trim the top: For a cleaner appearance the top of the cake was trimmed for the frosting. You can choose to do what you prefer here.
• Cake tin: A round spring form tin was used, however, a standard cake tin of similar size would also work well.

Recipe by Roamingtaste

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal

Keyword cake, fall dish

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