Browned Butter Spice Cake
So…Amazon.
Amazon is a bookmarked tab on my web browser. I have the mobile app. I look on the website at least once a day. I can admit it: I’m slightly addicted. This addiction may be made even worse by the Wishlist feature. I feel like the Amazon Wishlist is a like the grown-up version of a kid’s Christmas List for Santa Claus.
The downside to that comparison is that when you’re an adult you’re (presumably) not going to believe in a rotund, elderly magical elf who visits your house on the night of December 24th to give you presents. You know that he doesn’t exist and that unless your loved ones decide to be gracious, you’re gonna have to shell out the money to buy yourself the things you want.
I don’t know about you guys but with the number of items that are currently saved on my wishlist (also taking into consideration the condition of moi’s funds), let’s just say that ‘WISH’ is the operative word of the term. Most of the time my visits to Amazon are spent browsing or just looking at all the items on my wishlist for the umpteenth time, as if by some miracle the necessary funds will appear in my bank account to afford them all.
It still hasn’t happened yet.
But occasionally, at times when it isn’t Christmas or your birthday where you may be gifted with something you want from someone else, you just want to play Santa and spoil yourself with a gift that you really want. I don’t do this often, but if I’m feeling like ‘loving on myself’ and the timing and price is right (meaning low enough) on a particular item on the Wish List…I’ll spoil myself.
That’s kinda what happened here.
When we moved out here to the West coast, I had to leave behind all of the lovely bundt pans in my mom’s collection that I would borrow to bake in. That was harder than I thought it would be. I had two loaf pans and three round cake pans of my own to bring with me, but I still found myself missing baking with the bundt pans. They help cakes to bake so much more evenly, and some of the more intricate ones give them such a pretty shape when they come out. I have several saved to my Amazon Wishlist. When I got a notification that two of them had their prices lowered, it so happened to come on a day when I felt like ‘spoiling myself’ so I went ahead and got them. One was a simple round bundt pan, the other had the beautiful swirled fan design that you see in this cake.
This cake. Let’s talk about that now.
I’ve already let you guys in on the best kept secret of browned butter in chocolate chip cookies and banana bread. Now you get to find out how awesome it can be in cake. As I’ve said before, browned butter has a very rich, nutty and toasted smell/flavor that comes through in whatever you put it in. That toasty caramelized flavor gets combined with a combination of warm spices that complement the approach of autumn: cinnamon, coriander, cloves, nutmeg. All that good stuff.
All of THAT good stuff combines together to form the VERY good stuff that is this cake. If your eyes aren’t doing enough of a job to convince you, get them checked. This cake is every bit as delicious as it looks. It’s moist. It’s sweet. It’s slightly spicy. It came from a bundt pan that was worth every penny. However, if you don’t have the one I do, don’t let that dissuade you from making this: any standard 10 cup cake pan will do, OR two loaf pans with the batter divided between them. Try this. Kinda not asking or suggesting.
Linking this up to Fiesta Friday #190, co-hosted this week by Shinta @ Caramel Tinted Life and Diann @ Of Goats and Greens.
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Browned Butter Spice Cake
Recipe Adapted from Lauren Chattman
Ingredients
For Cake
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 (2 sticks) cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 3/4 cup cake flour
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup whole milk
For Glaze
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1-3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease or spray with cooking spray, a 10-cup Bundt or tube pan (you can also use two loaf pans). Sprinkle with flour & tap out excess. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, coriander, cloves and nutmeg. Set aside 1/2 teaspoon of this mixture for the glaze.
Heat the 1 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes, or until the milk solids on the bottom are dark brown and the mixture smells nutty& caramelized. Stir the rest of the spice mixture into the butter and let cook for about 10 more seconds. Immediately pour into a shallow dish and place in the freezer. Leave in there until the mixture is firm, like the texture of regular butter, about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
When the browned butter has become firm enough, place it in bowl of a standing mixer or a large bowl. Add the light brown sugar, then use the paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer) to beat at medium speed until creamed, light & fluffy. At medium low speed, add the eggs and egg yolks (one at a time EACH and beating well after each addition). Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl down regularly to make sure the ingredients are well combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Alternate between adding the flour mixture & the whole milk to the batter, starting and ending with the flour mixture. After last addition, turn up to medium speed and beat for about 30 final seconds. Spread the batter in the pan, using the spatula to smooth the top out. Lift the pan up and tap it onto the countertop 2-3 times to prevent air bubbles while baking. Place the pan on a sheet pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until golden brown, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean & inner temp reaches 195-200 degrees Fahrenheit. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For Glaze: heat 1/4 cup butter in small saucepan over medium heat until milk solids on the bottom are dark brown and the mixture smells nutty& caramelized. Remove from heat & slight cool. Use a fork or a whisk to mix in the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, lemon juice, salt and reserved 1/2 teaspoon of spice mixture. Adjust the thickness and thinness of glaze to your desired consistency. Use the tines of a fork to drizzle over the cake. Allow to set for about 40 minutes before serving.
This looks delicious Jess! I have the very same Nordic Ware bundt pan and I absolutely love using it! Hope that all is well with you and have a wonderful weekend 🙂
It was such a worthwhile buy Heather–thanks, I hope everything is going well with you too 🙂
Beautiful! I love the shape of your new pan too. You needed it for sure. 🙂
Thank you Josette; as soon as this came out of the pan I knew the pan was a must-have 😉
Really nice cake, Jess! ☺️
Thank you so much 🙂
The cake looks scrumptious 🙂
Thank you! It came out VERY tasty 🙂
Nice! I love your use of spices and just the look of the cake is lovely. Almost like a spiral (:
The shape of the cake is almost as good as the taste…almost lol Thanks!
This looks incredible and so tasty!
Thank you! It is both 😉
Such a yummy recipe by you 🙂
Thank you, I appreciate your stopping by to comment 🙂
This is quite a baking pan! I have the forest trees…which just gave me an idea for Xmas! This cakes looks delicious? Where do you live? I’ll fly over for a piece?
I’ve had my eye on the forest trees pan for a while, that would make a PERFECT cake for Christmas. And if you’re willing to make the trip to the West coast, I’d be glad to save you a slice! Thank you 😉
Ha! My sis in law live in CA but won’t be going this week.
That! You know how I feel about brown butter…YUM! 😉
It really is one of the best things ever. Thank Dave 🙂
Looks so good and moist. Never tried adding ground coriander in cakes.. sounds interesting
All of the spices really do work great together. Thank you 🙂
No doubt – I’m sure it does. looks amazing
That pan has paid off! It looks and sounds fantastic. You are right about brown butter, it really just elevates anything that it is part of. Thank you for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
It was a good investment, thank you Shinta, I’m happy to share 🙂
Jess, this cake looks amazing!
Thank you Debbie, it tastes as good as it looks 😉
I have to say your photography — and your cake itself — is gorgeous!!! Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday!
I really appreciate your saying that. Thank you!
What a beautiful cake!! Love that shape.
Thank you 🙂
Wow 👌