Caramel Brown Butter Cake - homemade caramel sauce and brown butter cream cheese frosting. It is, simply put, a lot going on in the best possible way.
If you find yourself here because you too have a brown butter obsession, welcome. This Caramel Brown Butter Cake is what my dreams, and hopefully yours too, are made out of. I made this for a friends book club and new that it needed to get on the blog asap!
You will also want to bookmark my brown butter chocolate chip cookies - an easy, no-chill cookie that is highly rated for good reason - my brown butter caramel cheesecake, and my caramel banana brown butter frosting for when you need that flavor on literally everything else.
Why You'll Love Caramel Brown Butter Cake
- Brown butter shows up three times. The cake, the frosting, the whole situation. It is not subtle and that is the point.
- The homemade caramel sauce is easier than it sounds. You just have to trust the process and not stir it when it tells you not to stir it.
- It does not taste like a plain cake. It tastes like you really meant it.
- Every component can be made ahead, which means you can spread the chaos across multiple days like a sane person.
- It is a showstopper without requiring any special decorating skills. A caramel drizzle covers a multitude of sins.
Ingredient Overview
You likely have most of this already. Here are the key players worth knowing about before you start.
- Unsalted butter - you will need a lot of it and you will brown most of it. This is the backbone of the entire recipe.
- Brown sugar - deepens the flavor of the cake in a way granulated sugar alone just cannot do.
- Cake flour - gives you a more tender crumb than all purpose flour. Worth buying specifically for this.
- Buttermilk - keeps the cake moist and adds a subtle tang that balances all that richness.
- Eggs - make sure they are room temperature before you start, or the batter will not thank you.
- Heavy cream - used in both the caramel sauce and the frosting. Buy a big carton.
- Cream cheese - gives the frosting a slight tang and keeps it from being cloyingly sweet.
- Light corn syrup - added to the caramel sauce to prevent crystallization. Do not skip it.
- Vanilla extract - goes into all three components, so use one you actually like.
- Salt - also in all three components. The caramel especially needs it.
How to Make the Brown Butter Cake
- Brown your butter first in a light colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until it smells nutty and that nutty aroma fills your kitchen. Pour it immediately into your mixing bowl and let it cool completely. Do not walk away during this step.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees and prepare three 8-inch cake pans with parchment and a light spray.
- Whisk together your dry ingredients - cake flour, baking powder, and a teaspoon salt - in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Beat the cooled brown butter, both sugars, and vegetable oil in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high for 4 to 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl because there is always butter hiding down there.
- Add eggs one at a time on medium speed, scraping the bowl between each addition. Add vanilla extract with the last egg. If the batter looks curdled, keep going.
- Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk on low speed, starting and ending with flour. These are your wet ingredients and dry ingredients coming together, so mix just until combined, then fold a few times by hand with a spatula in a large bowl if you need more room. Overmixing is how you end up with a dense cake.
- Divide the batter evenly between the three pans, about 19 to 20 ounces each if you are using a scale. Smooth the tops and bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 28 minutes, rotating halfway, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
How to Make the Brown Butter Frosting
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, brown 1 and a half cups of butter until deeply golden and fragrant. Immediately pour into a large heatproof bowl.
- Stir in the remaining half cup of cold butter until fully melted. This step rehydrates the browned butter and makes the frosting smoother and easier to work with.
- Let the butter cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. This is a great time to make the caramel sauce and question your life choices.
- Beat the cooled brown butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium-high for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed to combine, then beat on high for 2 more minutes.
- Before frosting, use a spatula to beat out any air bubbles. You want this smooth.
Common Caramel Mistakes
Making caramel has a reputation and honestly it earns it, but most mistakes are avoidable.
- Stirring after the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar, water, and corn syrup are moistened, put the spoon down and leave it alone. Stirring causes crystallization and you will end up with a grainy mess.
- Using cold cream. Always warm your heavy cream before adding it to the hot caramel. Cold cream hitting hot caramel will seize and splatter and it is not fun for anyone.
- Not cooking it dark enough. Pale caramel means weak flavor. You want a deep amber, almost copper color. If you are nervous you pulled it too early, you probably did.
- Walking away. Caramel goes from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. Stay at the stove.
- Skipping the salt. The salt is what makes caramel sauce taste like caramel sauce and not just sugar syrup. Use it.
Frequently Asked Questions - Caramel Brown Butter Cake
A few things people tend to wonder about with this cake recipe.
- Can I make the components ahead of time? Yes, and honestly you should. The caramel sauce keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks. The brown butter for the frosting can be made a day ahead and left at room temperature. The cake layers can be baked, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and kept at room temperature for one day or refrigerated for up to three days before assembling.
- Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour? Technically yes, but the texture will be noticeably different. Cake flour is what gives this a tender, delicate crumb. It is worth buying.
- What if I don't have buttermilk? You can make a quick substitute by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a cup of regular milk and letting it sit for five minutes. It works in a pinch.
- My caramel seized up, is it ruined? Not necessarily. Return it to medium-low heat and whisk gently. Sometimes it will smooth back out. If it is grainy beyond saving, start over. It happens to everyone.
- Can I make this as a different size? You can do two 9-inch pans instead of three 8-inch pans, but adjust your bake time and start checking earlier.
- Do the eggs and buttermilk really need to be room temperature? Yes. Room temperature ingredients incorporate into the batter more evenly. Cold dairy can cause the batter to look curdled and affect the final texture.
Storing and Freezing
Storing: This Caramel Brown Butter Cake can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container so it does not dry out. Pull it out and let it come to room temperature before serving - cold cake is a different and lesser experience.
Freezing: If you want to freeze it, slice the cake first and wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap. This way you can pull out exactly what you need without thawing the whole thing. Frozen slices will keep for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or on the counter for an hour or two before eating.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, HERE ARE SOME YOU NEED TO ADD TO YOUR BAKING LIST!
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Recipe
Caramel Brown Butter Cake
This Caramel Brown Butter Cake is layered with rich, nutty brown butter cake layers, silky brown butter cream cheese frosting, and a homemade salted caramel sauce.
Ingredients
For the brown butter cake
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
For the caramel sauce:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
For the brown butter frosting:
- 2 cups unsalted butter - you'll brown 1 ½ cup 3 sticks then stir in ½ cup (1 stick) afterward
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the brown butter cake
- In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring frequently. It will foam, then the foam will subside - keep going until the butter turns a deep golden amber and smells nutty, about 5-8 minutes. Watch it closely; it can go from browned to burnt quickly. Pour immediately into a large bowl or stand mixer bowl and let cool to room temperature before using. Don't clean the pan because you will use it again for browned butter frosting.12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, lightly spray the sides and bottom. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.3 cups cake flour, 1 tablespoons baking powder, 1 teaspoons salt
- In a large bowl or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the browned and cooled butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil on medium-high for 4-5 minutes, until very light, fluffy, and noticeably paler in color. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. There's often a hidden pocket of butter at the bottom.¾ cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- With the mixer on medium, add the eggs one at a time, beating about 30 seconds after each and scraping down the bowl between additions. Add the vanilla with the last egg. If the batter looks slightly curdled, don't stress, it will come together.4 eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions, starting and ending with flour (flour → buttermilk → flour → buttermilk → flour). Mix on low for each addition and just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl one final time, then fold the batter a few times by hand with a spatula. Don't overmix.1 cup buttermilk
- Divide the batter evenly among the three pans (about 19-20 ounces in each pan) - a kitchen scale helps with even layers. Smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake for 25-28 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs and the edges are just pulling away from the sides. While the cakes are baking, make the caramel and brown butter for the frosting.
- Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges, turn the layers out, and peel off the parchment. Let cool completely before frosting.
For the Caramel Sauce:
- In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Gently stir to moisten all the sugar, then stop stirring.1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, 3 Tablespoons light corn syrup
- Set the pan over medium heat and cook undisturbed for 5-10 minutes, until the mixture turns deep amber. Meanwhile, warm the heavy cream in the microwave for about 1 minute.⅔ cup heavy cream
- Once the caramel is a rich copper color, remove from heat and carefully pour in the warm cream. Caution: The mixture will bubble up rapidly. Pour slowly and whisk constantly.
- Whisk until smooth. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and butter. Return to low heat briefly if needed to smooth it out.¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons butter
- Let cool slightly, then transfer to a heat-safe jar and refrigerate until ready to assemble. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
For the Brown Butter Frosting:
- In a medium saucepan, melt 1½ cups (3 sticks) of unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter foams and turns a deep deep golden amber and smells nutty.2 cups unsalted butter - you'll brown 1 ½ cup 3 sticks
- Immediately transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl and stir in ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter until fully melted and incorporated. This helps rehydrate the browned butter and improve the frosting's consistency.
- Let the butter cool to room temperature (about 2 hours) before using.
- When ready to frost, place the room temperature browned butter and cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 2-4 minutes until light and fluffy.4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low to combine, then beat on high for 2 more minutes.6 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt
- Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to beat out any air pockets before frosting.
Assembly:
- Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of a cake board to act as glue.
- Add the first cake layer top-side up. Spread about 1 cup of frosting over the top and drizzle with caramel sauce.
- Add the second cake layer top-side down and repeat the frosting and caramel.
- Add the final cake layer top-side down again.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting and chill the cake for 15 minutes.
- Frost the entire cake with the remaining brown butter frosting. Add a caramel drip if desired and serve extra caramel on the side. This cake is best served at room temperature for the perfect texture and flavor. I highly recommend it.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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