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Pumpkin-Spiced Cake with Vanilla Browned Butter Frosting
- Yield: 1– 8 inch cake 1x
Description
Spicy and nutty with a hint of vanilla. This moist, layered cake is a showstopper for any fall gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
CAKE
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 cups of sugar
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 (15-ounce) can of pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
- 3 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon of ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of cloves
- 1 cup of milk
FROSTING
- 3 1/2 cups unsalted butter, divided
- 10 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon of clear vanilla
- 1 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with baking spray and 1 tsp of flour gently tapped around the entire pans; line pans with parchment paper rounds.
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time to ensure they are well incorporated.
- Add pumpkin and vanilla, mixing until incorporated.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and all spices.
- With the mixer on low, mix the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the milk until well combined and divide between the three round cake pans.
- Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, 25-30 minutes—cool pans for 10 minutes before removing the cake to a wire rack to completely cool.
- Make frosting by heating 2 1/2 cups of the butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown and has a nutty aroma. This should take approximately 15 minutes on the stove. Swirl the butter in the pan every so often. You will visually see browned bits in the butter.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Place browned butter in the refrigerator to slightly cool, approximately 45 minutes. Stir every 15 minutes to reincorporate the browned bits in the butter.
- In a bowl with a mixer, beat browned butter with the remaining 1 cup of butter on a low speed until just spreadable like frosting (approximately 2-3 minutes).
- Beat in cream, salt, and vanilla while scraping down the bowl.
- Spread vanilla browned butter frosting between layers and on the cake’s top and sides.
Notes
Make sure the cake layers are completely cooled before frosting.
For extra sparkle, garnish with candied ginger.
