Brown Butter Cake


The essence of this recipe comes from Liv for Cake however, I've made some changes that were successful to palate of my friends and customers.

INGREDIENTS
Brown Butter:
  • 2 cups unsalted butter 

Brown Butter Cake:
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup brown butter room temperature, solid
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar 
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I like to use Spice Island)
  • 1 cup milk room temperature

Brown Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  • 6 large egg whites
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
  • 1 cup brown butter room temperature, solid
  • 1 tsp vanilla
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​INSTRUCTIONS
Brown Butter:
  • Place 2 cups butter into a large, shallow, light colored saucepan. Cook over med-low heat, stirring frequently until the butter starts to brown and smell nutty.**
  • Immediately transfer to bowl or large measuring cup. Be sure to scrape in the brown bits. Measure out two separate 3/4 cup portions into separate containers for the cake and frosting respectively. Let cool to room temperature and solidify.***

Brown Butter Cake:
  • Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8" cake rounds and line with parchment.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream browned butter and sugars on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
  • Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
  • Bake for 45mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  • Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack and cool completely.

Brown Butter Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
  • Place egg whites and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk until combined.****
  • Place bowl over a double boiler on the stove and whisk constantly until the mixture is hot and no longer grainy to the touch (approx. 3mins). Or registers 160F on a candy thermometer.
  • Place bowl on your stand mixer and whisk on med-high until the meringue is stiff and cooled (the bowl is no longer warm to the touch (approx. 5-10mins)).
  • Switch to paddle attachment. Slowly add all of the regular butter and then the browned butter 1 Tbsp at a time and mix until smooth.*****
  • Add vanilla and whip until smooth.