Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake

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This triple-layer stunner packs everything you could want in a fall cake: creamy pumpkin, aromatic spice, and nutty browned butter. Our browned butter enhances not only the moist pumpkin cake layers but also the fantastically dreamy frosting. What makes our browned butter second to none? We use Kerrygold Unsalted Butter, a European-style butter that packs more butter fat, and thus richer flavor. One bite of this cake and its browned butter-infused frosting will satisfy every baker’s fall cravings.

Kerrygold butter is made from the milk of cows that graze on lush, green pastures of small family farms in Ireland for the majority of the year. In fact, the signature brilliantly gold color of the butter comes from naturally occurring beta-carotene in the intensely green Irish grass.  Revered by home bakers, Kerrygold butter provides unprecedented richness to all baked goods, from flaky pie dough to decadent buttercream. 

You can purchase Kerrygold at most local grocery stores. Find out more about Kerrygold products online.

Browned Butter Pumpkin Spice Cake
 
Makes 1 (8-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • 1 (15-ounce) can (425 grams) pumpkin
  • 1½ cups (330 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs (150 grams)
  • ¾ cup (160 grams) Browned Butter (recipe follows), melted
  • 3 cups (375 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1½ tablespoons (9 grams) pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon (3 grams) kosher salt
  • Browned Butter Frosting (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line bottoms of 3 (8-inch) round cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly butter and flour sides of pans.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, and melted Browned Butter until well combined.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, whisking just until combined. Divide batter among prepared pans, smoothing flat.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.
  5. Reserve ½ cup (128 grams) Brown Butter Frosting. Spread 1 cup (255 grams) Brown Butter Frosting between each layer. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake. Place reserved Brown Butter Frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 1M star tip. Pipe frosting on top of cake as desired. Serve immediately. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Browned Butter
 
Makes about 1¼ cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook until butter turns a medium-brown color and has a nutty aroma, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl, and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.

Browned Butter Frosting
 
Makes about 5 cups
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (107 grams) Browned Butter (recipe precedes), room temperature
  • ½ cup (113 grams) Kerrygold unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 (2-pound) bag (907 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 9 to 10 tablespoons (135 to 150 grams) heavy whipping cream
  • ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
Instructions
  1. Refrigerate Browned Butter for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. (It will be thickened but not set.)
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat Browned Butter, softened butter, and salt at medium-low speed until smooth. With mixer on low speed, gradually add confectioners’ sugar, about 1 cup (120 grams) at a time, alternately with cream, about 1 tablespoon (15 grams) at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Add vanilla extract. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

 

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Hi,
    If the “cows graze on lush green grass pastures of small family farms in Ireland for the majority of the year”, where are these cows the rest of the year?

    • Hi Denise!

      Thanks for reaching out. Interesting question! When the temperature gets too cold for cows to graze freely, they will need shelter and supplemental feeding.

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