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featured brown butter spice cake

Brown Butter Spice Cake Recipe

Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Assemble Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 809kcal
Moist and decadent Brown Butter Spice Cake with orange buttercream frosting features a perfect blend of flavors. Made with warm and cozy spices, browned butter, and dark rum, this towering beauty is truly impressive.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale
  • 3 6-inch Round Cake Pan
  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients

For the Spice Cake

  • cups all-purpose flour 270 grams
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 8 grams
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup browned butter 226 grams, room temperature (see notes)
  • cups dark brown sugar 373 grams
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice 3 grams
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 grams
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 grams
  • 4 large eggs 200 grams, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon dark rum 14 grams
  • 1 cup whole milk 227 grams, room temperature

For the Orange Buttercream Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
  • ½ cup browned butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice 43-57 grams, room temperature, from 1 orange
  • 2 tablspoons orange zest from 1 orange
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar 452-565 grams, sifted

Instructions

  • NOTE: Brown the butter and let it cool to room temperature before beginning this recipe. You need 1 cup of browned butter for the cake and ½ browned butter for the buttercream. Butter loses some of its moisture and volume during browning. Brown 2 cups of butter, and measure accordingly.

For the Spice Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line 3 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the lined pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
    2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature browned butter on medium speed until fluffy and light in color, about 1 minute.
    1 cup browned butter
  • Add the brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
    1¾ cups dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    creamed butter, sugar, and spices in a clear bowl
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the dark rum and mix until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
    4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon dark rum
  • With the mixer on low speed, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk in batches to evenly incorporate: add ⅓ of the dry, ½ of the milk, ⅓ of the dry, last ½ of the milk, and last ⅓ of the dry. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are well mixed.
    1 cup whole milk
    brown butter spice cake batter in a glass bowl
  • Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans (about 442 grams per pan).
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the cakes from the oven. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing from the pans and completely cooling on a cooling rack.

For the Orange Buttercream Frosting

  • While the cake layers cool, make the frosting. Add the butters, salt, orange juice, and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
    ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup browned butter, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tablspoons orange zest
  • Add ½ of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
    4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. Once combined, beat the frosting on medium speed for 7-10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add more powdered sugar and/or orange juice as needed until you reach the desired consistency.

To Assemble

  • Once the cake layers are completely cool, begin assembling the layer cake. If the cakes are domed shaped, use a serrated knife to trim the tops.
  • Spread a dollop of buttercream on the cake board/plate. Place the first cake layer on the plate, bottom facing up. The buttercream on the plate helps to keep the cake steady and prevents it from moving around during assembly.
  • Use an icing spatula to spread an even layer of buttercream onto the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, bottom facing up. Repeat this process for the third cake layer.
  • Add a crumb coat to the cake by spreading a thin layer of buttercream around the sides and top of the cake. Place the cake in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.
  • Once the crumb coat has hardened, frost the cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing the top and sides of the cake with an icing spatula or bench scraper. Use a small icing spatula to make swirls on top of the cake and a buttercream comb to make patterns on the sides of the cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy.

Notes

  • Brown the butter and let it cool completely to room temperature before continuing with the recipe.
  • You need 1 cup of browned butter for the cake and ½ browned butter for the buttercream. Brown 2 cups of butter, and measure accordingly.
  • Use freshly squeezed orange juice in the frosting. You can really taste the difference!
  • Make sure the cake layers are completely cool before assembling and frosting. 
  • For a thicker frosting, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner frosting, add more orange juice.
  • This cake tastes best on day 2, after the flavors have time to mingle, so it's a great recipe to make ahead of time. Cover it tightly with plastic wrap so the cake doesn't dry out. 
Storage: Store brown butter spice cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 809kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 584mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 86g | Vitamin A: 1282IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 139mg | Iron: 2mg