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Brown Butter Caramel Cake Recipe

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4.4 from 1 review

This Brown Butter Caramel Cake is a decadent layered dessert featuring a moist, tender cake infused with rich browned butter and a luscious salted caramel sauce. The cake is topped with a silky brown butter cream cheese frosting beautifully drizzled and swirled with homemade caramel, creating a perfect balance of deep nutty butter flavor and sweet, salty caramel. Ideal for special occasions or an indulgent treat, this recipe combines classic techniques of browning butter and slow caramelizing sugar to elevate the flavors to a gourmet level.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

Browned Butter

  • 1 1/2 cups Unsalted 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 (softened)
  • 2 TBSP Oil (canola or vegetable oil)
  • 1 cup White granulated sugar
  • 1 TBSP vanilla bean paste
  • 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, cubed)
  • 3/4 cup Heavy cream (room temperature)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 3/4 cup Browned butter (softened)
  • 4 oz Cream cheese (room temperature)
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2 TBSP Caramel sauce (prepared from above)

Instructions

  1. Brown Butter: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter, allowing it to simmer and foam. Stir occasionally as the milk solids separate and turn amber, which takes about 10 minutes. Stir consistently once foaming starts to avoid burning. Once browned, divide the butter and milk solids into two bowls — 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup — making sure to split the milk solids evenly. Chill the 3/4 cup portion in the fridge and place the 1/2 cup portion in the freezer.
  2. Chill Butter: Keep the 1/2 cup brown butter for the cake batter in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until it resolidifies but remains soft, stirring halfway through to ensure even texture.
  3. Prepare Cake Pan & Dry Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×9-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper, and spray again. In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, using a mixer, beat the softened brown butter, oil, and white sugar on high speed for 2 minutes until pale and light. Add the vanilla bean paste, sour cream, and eggs, and mix on medium speed until combined, scraping the bowl as needed.
  5. Combine Batter: Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold gently with a rubber spatula to ensure even mixing without overworking the batter.
  6. Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
  7. Make Salted Caramel Sauce: While the cake bakes or ahead of time, heat the white sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a whisk until about 70% of the sugar crystals melt, then stir continuously until fully melted and amber in color (within 30 seconds). Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted. Gradually mix in the heavy cream in two additions, stirring to combine despite bubbling. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and salt. Return the pan to the heat and stir for an additional minute to thicken slightly. Pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.
  8. Prepare Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting: Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Take the reserved 3/4 cup brown butter out of the fridge and soften if needed by microwaving in 10-second intervals. Using a mixer, beat the softened brown butter on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beat on high for 1 minute, scraping the bowl to ensure no lumps. Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Add the vanilla bean paste and 2 tablespoons of caramel sauce, then beat on high speed until the frosting is smooth and thick.
  9. Decorate Cake: Using the bottom of a wooden spoon, poke evenly spaced holes about 1-2 inches apart across the top of the cooled cake. Fill a piping bag with half of the remaining caramel sauce and pipe caramel into each hole. Allow caramel to sink for a couple of minutes, then fill the holes again to the top and spread evenly with an offset spatula.
  10. Frost Cake: Spread the prepared brown butter cream cheese frosting evenly over the caramel-soaked cake surface. Pour the remaining caramel sauce into a piping bag and pipe around the edges and over the top of the frosting. Use a spoon to lightly swirl the caramel into the frosting, taking care not to overmix to preserve a marbled effect.
  11. Set and Serve: For best slicing, chill the cake in the freezer for about 10 minutes to set the frosting before cutting. Store any leftover cake in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients where specified to ensure even mixing and proper texture.
  • Carefully watch the butter while browning to prevent burning and ensure a deep, nutty flavor.
  • When melting sugar for the caramel, avoid stirring until it begins melting to prevent crystallization.
  • Cooling the caramel sauce to room temperature before using it will help achieve better consistency in the frosting and decoration.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely before decorating to prevent the frosting from melting.
  • If the brown butter or caramel sauce hardens while prepping, gently warm it back to a spreadable consistency but avoid overheating.
  • Store the finished cake in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days for best freshness.
  • Author: Maya
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://recipeteach.com/brown-butter-caramel-cake-recipe/