🍰Brown Butter Caramel Cake
by Evan Perry
This is the best brown butter caramel cake! It's extra moist with lots of brown butter flavor, filled with caramel sauce, topped with luscious brown butter cream cheese frosting and a caramel swirl. Caramel lovers will absolutely love this decadent cake!
Nutrition and dietary information is automatically estimated and may contain errors. Not a substitute for professional dietary advice. Always verify ingredients if you have allergies or restrictions.
Ingredients
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- 2 cups(448 g) unsalted butter
- 2.25 cups(282 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1.5 tspbaking powder
- 0.25 tspbaking soda
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 1 cup(200 g) granulated white sugar
- 0.5 cup(110 g) brown sugar
- 3eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tbspvanilla
- 1 cup(240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 9 tbsp(126 g) unsalted butter
- 0.75 cup(165 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup(240 ml) heavy cream
- 1.5 tspvanilla
- 0.25 tspsalt
- 8 oz(226 g) cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups(260 g) powdered sugar
Instructions
- 1Add the butter to a large pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty aroma and has turned a deep golden brown. The whole process should take about 10-15 minutes.
- 2While it's still liquid, measure out 10 tbsp of brown butter and add it to a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, to be used in the cake. Add the rest to a large, separate bowl to be used later in the frosting.
- 3Let both portions cool in the fridge until solid but still soft.
- 4Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 inch metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- 5In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
- 6Whip the smaller portion of brown butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy. (If using a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment.)
- 7Add the granulated white sugar and brown sugar to the smaller portion of whipped brown butter. Cream together for 2 minutes.
- 8Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
- 9Add in the buttermilk and dry ingredients a little bit at a time, mixing on low speed until all is combined and the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
- 10Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
- 11Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack until completely cool.
- 12While the cake bakes, make the easy caramel sauce. Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- 13Reduce to medium-low heat and whisk in the cream. Let the mixture simmer for 3-4 minutes.
- 14Remove from the heat, then mix in the vanilla and salt. Pour the hot caramel into a bowl and let it cool on the counter to room temperature.
- 15While the cake cools, make the brown butter cream cheese frosting by whipping the larger portion of brown butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.
- 16Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until fluffy.
- 17Sift in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 1 minute until fluffy again.
- 18When the cake is completely cooled, carefully pull up on the parchment paper to release the cake. Transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes on the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.
- 19Transfer the cooled caramel sauce to a piping bag and cut a bit of the tip off. Pipe the caramel into the holes of the cake. (If the caramel is too thick, warm the caramel just a bit until it is easier to work with. I like to run the piping bag, before it's cut, under hot water to loosen the caramel.)
- 20Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of brown butter cream cheese frosting. Drizzle extra caramel on top of the frosting and gently swirl it into the frosting with the back of a spoon.
- 21Then cut into 16 squares and serve! Drizzle extra caramel over each piece when serving for extra yumminess!
*5% or less is a little, 15% or more is a lot
*5% ou moins c'est peu, 15% ou plus c'est beaucoup
Nutrition values are AI-estimated and may not be exact. See disclaimer below.
Disclaimer
Nutritional information, ingredients, and dietary data displayed on this site are generated or estimated using artificial intelligence. While we strive for accuracy, these values may contain errors and should not be considered a substitute for verified nutritional data. If you have food allergies, intolerances, or any medical or dietary condition, please verify all information independently before consuming any food based on data shown here. This site is not a medical or dietary authority and assumes no liability for inaccuracies. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for advice regarding your diet.