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A three-layer frosted brown butter cake on a white cake stand with piped frosting swirls on top, next to a matching slice on a small plate showing the moist crumb and layers.

The Best Brown Butter Cake Recipe (Nutty, Moist, Never Dense)

A moist, from-scratch cake with deep nutty caramel flavor and a light crumb. This homemade brown butter cake explains exactly why brown butter cakes turn dense and how to avoid it.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 26 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, French-inspired
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brown Butter Cake Layers
  • 1 cup unsalted butter browned and cooled
  • 3 cups cake flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 to 3 tbsp milk added as needed
Brown Butter Buttercream
  • 1 cup unsalted butter browned and cooled
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 1 Light-colored stainless steel saucepan Dark pans make it hard to judge the butter's color
  • 3 8 or 9 inch round cake pans For the classic layer cake height
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer For creaming and frosting
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer Optional, for straining out extra browned bits
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale For accurate flour measurement
  • 1 Offset spatula For smooth frosting application
  • 1 Cake turntable For even, professional frosting

Method
 

  1. Brown 2 cups of butter total following the method in the article notes. Let both portions cool and fully re-solidify.
    Two glass bowls filled with melted brown butter speckled with toasted milk solids for The Best Brown Butter Cake on a wooden countertop.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
    Three round metal cake pans greased, floured, and lined with parchment rounds on a wooden countertop.
  3. Whisk the cake flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with dry ingredients for The Best Brown Butter Cake on a wooden countertop.
  4. In a stand mixer, beat the re-solidified brown butter with both sugars on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    A glass mixing bowl filled with light, fluffy, and creamy butter and sugar mixture speckled with toasted milk solids for The Best Brown Butter Cake on a wooden countertop.
  5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined after each.
    A glass bowl containing smooth, blended cake batter with eggs incorporated into the brown butter mixture on a wooden countertop.
  6. Mix in the vanilla extract.
    A glass bowl of cake batter with swirls of dark vanilla extract poured on top, sitting on a wooden countertop.
  7. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk in two additions, starting and ending with flour. Add the extra milk if the batter looks stiff.
    A glass bowl of cake batter blending with alternating additions of flour and buttermilk on a wooden countertop.
  8. Divide the batter evenly among the three pans and bake for 24 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
    Three round metal cake pans filled evenly with brown butter cake batter on a wooden countertop.
  9. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
    Three golden-brown baked cake layers cooling on wire racks on a wooden countertop.
  10. Beat the re-solidified brown butter alone for 2 minutes until pale and creamy. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream. Add vanilla and salt, then beat on high for 2 minutes until fluffy.
    A glass bowl filled with smooth, creamy, caramel-colored brown butter frosting on a wooden countertop.
  11. Frost between each layer, apply a thin crumb coat, refrigerate for 20 minutes, then apply the final coat of frosting, slice, and serve.
    A three-layer round brown butter cake covered in smooth caramel-colored frosting on a white cake stand, with one slice cut out, sitting on a wooden countertop next to a knife.

Notes

  • Let brown butter fully re-solidify before creaming. This is the single most important step in the recipe.
  • Add the extra milk to compensate for water lost during browning.
  • Use a light-colored saucepan to judge the butter's color accurately.
  • Store refrigerated up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.