Brown Butter Caramel Cake

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This brown butter caramel cake is perfect to make during the fall. It has brown butter in the cake that has chilled until soft. Then, the cake is poked with caramel sauce and topped with brown butter cream cheese caramel frosting and more salted caramel swirled on top.

Prep Time1

Cook Time35

Decorating Time15

Total Time1 50

Servings: slices

Calories: 496kcal

Author: Stephanie Rutherford

Ingredients

Brown Butter

1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter

Brown Butter Cake

2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 TBSP Cornstarch
1 tsp Baking powder
1/4 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Browned butter
2 TBSP Oil canola or vegetable oil
1 cup White granulated sugar
1 TBSP Pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup Sour cream room temperature or greek yogurt
3 Large eggs room temperature
3/4 cup Buttermilk room temperature

Salted Caramel Sauce

1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
1/3 cup Unsalted butter room temperature and cubed
3/4 cup Heavy cream room temperature
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Salt

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Caramel Frosting

3/4 cup Browned butter
4 oz Cream cheese room temperature
3 cups Powdered sugar sifted
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
2 TBSP Caramel sauce

US - Metric

Instructions

Brown Butter

In a large saute pan, heat the butter on medium heat. First, the butter will melt and simmer. As it simmers it will go from bubbling to foaming at the top. During that process, stir occasionally. Once it start to foam, this is when the milk deposits will separate and turn amber in color. Once this starts, stir consistently because it can turn amber pretty quickly. This entire process takes about 10 minutes.
1 1/2 cups Unsalted butter
After the butter is browned, your will divide it into two bowls. Once bowl is 1/2 cup and the other is 3/4 cup. Make sure to divide the milk deposit bits evenly since this is where all the flavor is. Place the 3/4 cup in the fridge to chill. Place the 1/2 cup in the freezer.
The butter for cake batter, goes in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until it has resolidify but it is softened. Stir half way inbetween.

Brown Butter Cake

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 9X9- inch square baking pan with baking nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again.
In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2 1/2 cups All-purpose flour, 1 TBSP Cornstarch, 1 tsp Baking powder, 1/4 tsp Baking soda, 1/2 tsp Salt
Using a mixer in a large bowl, beat the brown butter (make sure it is softened, if it is too firm or cold heat in the microwave for 5 second intervals until soft), oil, and sugar. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes, it will become pale and light in color.
1/2 cup Browned butter, 1 cup White granulated sugar, 2 TBSP Oil
Add in the vanilla, sour cream, and eggs and mix on medium speed until combined. Scrape the bowl.
1 TBSP Pure vanilla extract, 3/4 cup Sour cream, 3 Large eggs
Add in the dry ingredients and buttermilk and mix on low speed until just combined. Take off the mixer and mix using a rubber spatula.
3/4 cup Buttermilk
Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let the cake sit in the hot pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.

Salted Caramel Sauce

Start this ahead of time, or while the cake is baking. In a large saucepan, heat the sugar on medium heat. Use a whisk and stir occasionally until the sugar crystals start melting. Once the sugar crystals are about 70% melted, stir consistenly until completely melted.
1 1/2 cups White granulated sugar
Let the caramel heat until it turns amber in color, this takes less than 30 seconds so watch it closely. Remove from heat, and add in the butter and stir until melted.
1/3 cup Unsalted butter
Add in half of the heavy cream and mix until combined. It will bubble a lot and be extra steamy. Repeat with the remaining heavy cream. Add in the vanilla and salt.
3/4 cup Heavy cream, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp Salt
Place the caramel pot back on the heat and stir for 1 minute to thicken slightly. Pour the caramel into a bowl and cool until room temperature.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Caramel Frosting

In a medium bowl, sift the powdered sugar. Set aside. Take the remaining brown butter out of the fridge, if it is too firm ( it needs to be like soft room temperature butter) heat in the microwave for 10 seconds intervals until soft.
3 cups Powdered sugar, 3/4 cup Browned butter
Using a mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Add in the cream cheese and beat on high for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl to make sure there are no cream cheese chunks remaining.
4 oz Cream cheese
Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. Since the brown butter has the water cooked off, it will look really thick. Add in the vanilla and caramel sauce and beat on high speed until smooth.
1 tsp Pure vanilla extract, 2 TBSP Caramel sauce

Decorating

Use the bottom of a wooden spoon to poke holes on top of the cake. I just poked it evenly with 1-2 inch in between each hole. Add the half of the caramel sauce to a piping bag. Pipe the caramel into each hole. Then, let the caramel sit for a minute or two to sink into the cake. Then, refill the holes to the top. I used an offset icing spatula to spread the caramel evenly on top.
Add the frosting to the cake and spread evenly. Pour the rest of the caramel into a piping bag and pipe the caramel sauce around on the top of the frosting. Use a spoon to very lightly swirl the caramel into the frosting. You want to be gentle to not over mix in the caramel.
If serving immediately, freeze the cake for 10 minutes to set the frosting before cutting the cake. The cake needs to be stored in the fridge.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the cake.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 2 TBSP of flour.

Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.

Nutrition