Print

Perfectly Easy Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake

brown butter pumpkin spice cake - featured image
Print Recipe

This brown butter pumpkin spice cake is incredibly moist and flavorful, with a nutty richness from browned butter and warm autumn spices. It’s the perfect fall dessert that comes together in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (120ml) buttermilk
  • For the glaze (optional):
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk or cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. Brown the butter: Place 1 cup unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until melted, foamy, and golden brown specks appear (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat immediately and pour into a heat-safe bowl. Let cool for 10 minutes.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and brown sugar. Add cooled brown butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
  5. Whisk in pumpkin puree until fully combined (batter may look curdled).
  6. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Add buttermilk and stir. Add remaining dry ingredients and fold until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Let cake cool in pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto a cooling rack. Remove parchment paper and cool completely (about 1 hour).
  9. For the glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, 2-3 tablespoons milk or cream, vanilla extract, and cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter; watch for golden specks and nutty aroma. Use room temperature ingredients for best results. Measure flour by spooning and leveling. Let cake cool completely before glazing. Cake tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, pumpkin spice cake, fall dessert, pumpkin cake, easy cake recipe

Find it online: https://goldensimmer.com/perfectly-easy-brown-butter-pumpkin-spice-cake/