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 amber color with a nutty aroma, about 5–7 minutes.

Immediately transfer the browned butter to a large heatproof bowl and add the remaining ½ cup (1 stick) of butter right away — the residual heat will melt it as you stir. This step helps rehydrate the browned butter and improves the frosting's final consistency.

Let the butter cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, before using. While it cools, move on to the cake.

Preheat your oven to 325°F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, applesauce, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until well combined.

Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Fold gently to avoid overmixing.

Divide the batter evenly between the three pans (use a kitchen scale for accuracy. About 18 ounces in each pan!) Smooth the tops with a small offset spatula.

Bake for 30–33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and let cool completely.

Pro tip: If the cakes domed while baking, level the tops with a serrated knife once completely cooled for easy stacking.

When ready to frost, place the room temperature browned butter and ROOM TEMPERATURE 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.

Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low to combine, then beat on high for 2 more minutes.

Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of a cake board to act as glue.

Level the cake layers if needed, so each surface is flat and smooth.

Add the first cake layer top-side up. Spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly over the top. Get eye-level with the cake to check that it's even.

Add the second cake layer top-side down and spread another 1 cup of frosting over the top. Flipping this layer gives you a flatter surface to stack against, since the pan-side of the cake is naturally flatter than the domed top-side.

Add the final cake layer top-side down as well, for the same reason. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting and chill the cake for 15 minutes.

Frost the entire cake with the remaining brown butter frosting. This cake is best served at room temperature for the perfect texture and flavor. I highly recommend it.

Store the frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Since the frosting contains cream cheese, refrigeration is a must, but let slices sit out at room temperature for about 20–30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens back up and the cake's texture isn't dense from the cold.

To freeze, you can freeze the cake either unfrosted or fully assembled. For unfrosted layers, wrap each cooled cake round tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting. For a fully frosted cake, freeze it uncovered for about an hour to firm up the frosting, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature to serve.