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Browned Butter Apple Spice Cake Recipe

Browned Butter Apple Spice Cake Recipe
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★★★★★

4.7 from 19 reviews

This Browned Butter Apple Spice Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert that combines the warm spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves with chunks of fresh apples. Topped with a rich browned butter caramel frosting, this cake delivers a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, enhanced by the nutty depth of browned butter and homemade caramel sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • ½ Cup Salted Umpqua Dairy Butter, softened to room temperature
  • ¾ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1 Large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk
  • ⅓ Cup Umpqua Dairy Sour Cream
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • ¾ Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
  • ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
  • ¾ Cup Whole Wheat Flour
  • ¾ Cup Umpqua Dairy Whole or 2% Milk
  • ¾ Cup Apples of Choice (e.g., Honeycrisp), chopped into small squares

For the Browned Butter Caramel Frosting:

  • 1 ½ Cups Umpqua Dairy Salted Butter, softened to room temperature (divided: ½ cup for browning, 1 cup for creaming)
  • 1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ Cup Caramel Sauce (homemade or store bought)
  • 3 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
  • 2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream

Optional Toppers:

  • ½ Cup Homemade Caramel, drizzled on top and over the sides
  • ½ Apple, chopped into small squares and tossed in a tablespoon of caramel sauce
  • Greenery, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cake Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour or spray three 6-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment paper circles for easy removal.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened salted butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add Eggs: Beat in the whole egg and egg yolk one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure full incorporation.
  4. Mix in Sour Cream and Vanilla: Add the sour cream and pure vanilla extract to the butter mixture, stirring until well combined and smooth.
  5. Add Spices and Dry Ingredients: Stir in the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, salt, baking powder, all-purpose flour, and whole wheat flour. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients evenly.
  6. Add Milk: Pour in the milk and mix just until incorporated. Avoid over-mixing to keep the cake tender.
  7. Fold in Apples: Gently fold in the chopped apples, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the batter without breaking them down.
  8. Fill Cake Pans: Divide the batter evenly among the three prepared pans, about a heaping cup per pan. Smooth tops with a spatula.
  9. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back slightly when pressed.
  10. Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
  11. Brown the Butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup of salted butter. Stir occasionally and cook until the butter turns golden brown and has a nutty aroma, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  12. Cream Remaining Butter: In a mixing bowl, beat the remaining 1 cup of salted butter until smooth and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
  13. Add Powdered Sugar: Gradually add sifted powdered sugar to the creamed butter, mixing well after each addition until the frosting is fluffy and uniform.
  14. Add Vanilla and Caramel Sauce: Pour in the vanilla extract and caramel sauce, continuing to mix until fully incorporated.
  15. Incorporate Browned Butter: Slowly add the slightly cooled browned butter to the frosting mixture, and beat thoroughly until evenly combined and smooth.
  16. Adjust Consistency: Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time if needed to achieve a spreadable, creamy consistency. Beat until desired texture is reached.
  17. Frost the Cake: Spread or pipe the browned butter caramel frosting over the cooled cake layers. Stack the layers carefully and apply frosting evenly on top and sides.
  18. Add Optional Toppings: Drizzle with homemade caramel sauce, scatter caramel-coated apple pieces on top, and garnish with fresh greenery as desired.
  19. Serve and Store: Enjoy immediately or store the frosted cake covered at room temperature for up to three days.

Notes

  • For dairy-free or gluten-free variations, refer to Heather’s Home Bakery blog for substitution suggestions.
  • Make sure not to over-mix the batter after adding the milk to keep the cake tender and moist.
  • Use fresh, crisp apples like Honeycrisp to add a nice texture and sweet-tart flavor contrast.
  • Allow browned butter to cool slightly before adding to frosting to avoid melting the creamed butter.
  • The cake layers can be made a day ahead and wrapped tightly for convenience.

Nutrition

Keywords: Browned Butter Cake, Apple Spice Cake, Caramel Frosting, Fall Dessert, Homemade Cake

Find it online: https://ellaeatsdaily.com/browned-butter-apple-spice-cake-recipe/