This is the most wonderful plain bundt cake ever. It has a moist crumb, excellent nutty vanilla flavor from the brown butter, and a fabulous coffee glaze that adds another layer of sweetness. It keeps well and can be frozen.
A simple cake with an unbelievable flavor
I don't know where to start with how good this cake is, so let's just say that your little vanilla butter cake got upgraded, and this brown butter cake is the result.
A close sibling to the best brown butter pound cake ever, this one has a less tight crumb and softer bite.
Vanilla butter cake is the quintessential plain cake we make for birthdays and picnics, as it can hold a filling and glaze.
Well, this one is the big, sophisticated sister that looks plain and is anything but.
This glazed cake is simple, tastes beyond amazing, and can be doubled or divided in half, depending on how many you need to feed.
And a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top does the trick too. The cake by itself is that good. But the coffee glaze makes it outstanding.
What is brown butter?
The short version is what the name implies: butter that is browned.
Also known as the French beurre noisette (translated as hazelnut butter), it is unsalted butter that is heated or cooked long enough for the water (yes, butter has water in it, sometimes a lot) to evaporate.
This leaves behind the solids that start to brown, turning golden or amber in color, and with a wonderful nutty aroma (hence the hazelnut reference).
The result is butter with a deep nutty vanilla flavor unlike anything else. Truly worth making, even though it's an extra step.
Cake components
- Brown butter: making it is an extra step but so worth it. A life changer. We have a whole post on how to make brown butter.
- Vanilla cake batter: that is made exceptional by the addition of said brown butter.
- Coffee glaze: that is optional. Or maybe not. Maybe it pairs so well that you'll have to buy the combo.
How to make brown butter
If you've never made brown butter (where have you been?!), it's straightforward.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan with tall sides (a few inches or so, depending on how much butter you're browning) over medium heat.
- It will melt, bubble, and make a furious noise (this will be louder depending on how much water the butter has).
- Then, the bubbles will become smaller, gradually stop chirping (really, it's a chirping noise, you'll see), and foam quite a bit.
- Be careful, as it will start browning underneath the foam. You will smell a nutty aroma.
- You must split the foam with the spoon or spatula you're using and see that it doesn’t burn. You want it to be an amber color. Like caramel, it goes from amber to burned quickly, so be careful.
- Take it out and put it in a shallow pan so it stops cooking.
- Allow to cool and refrigerate until cold. It doesn’t need to solidify completely. You want it soft (for this recipe).
Preparing the bundt pan
If you love making bundt cakes, you probably know the pain of not being able to remove it from the pan in one piece. It has happened to me many times!
There are several ways of dealing with this:
Shortening and flour: use soft shortening to grease the pan, every angle, every nook and cranny until it's completely covered. Using your fingers is messy but effective. You can also use a brush. Sprinkle flour and rotate the pan to cover it completely. You'll have to do it to one side and then the other. Make sure you flour the center tube. Turn the pan upside down over the kitchen sink and smack lightly it against the edge. The excess flour will fall, leaving a thin layer behind. Your pan is ready to be filled.
Cake goop or cake pan-release paste: it's one of my favorites, along with the shortening method above, because it's very effective. Mix equal parts (volume: cups or tablespoons) of shortening, flour and vegetable oil (sunflower or canola) to make a paste. Use it to coat the pan with a brush. Store it in an airtight container (I use a jar) for a month at room temperature or up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
Baking spray: use a spray labeled as having flour or specifically made for baking (as opposed to cooking). It has to have flour; otherwise, the cake will likely stick when removed. At least, that's my experience. I hardly use it anymore.
Recipe: whenever I find a great bundt cake recipe that can be easily removed from an intricate bundt pan, even though I didn’t follow step 1 above, I cling to it like life itself.
Cake batter
The batter is a simple vanilla cake, a bit fluffier than a pound cake.
I love making it as a bundt cake, but you can make 2 loaf cakes or a simple round or rectangular cake.
Coffee glaze
This coffee glaze adds to this cake's simplicity without overpowering it.
It's a simple powdered sugar glaze made with prepared espresso coffee.
The ratio (powdered sugar and liquid of choice) I give in the recipe can vary. You might want it to drip more or less down the sides, which can be adjusted with the amount of liquid you use. More liquid will make a thinner glaze.
Glaze liquid variations
- Orange juice or orange liquor
- Orange juice
- Maple syrup
- Ginger syrup
- Frangelico, hazelnut liquor
- Kahlua or other coffee liquor
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Brown butter: you can make it in advance. I am so in love with it, that I usually brown a pound of it, put it back in the fridge and simply use it as regular butter for whatever cake/cookie/shortbread I'm making next.
- Cake pans: bundt cakes are always a favorite, but you can also make two medium loaf cakes from this recipe.
- How long does it keep: If well wrapped, it keeps a few days at room temperature (not scorching, obviously) and up to 1 month in the freezer.
- Gift giving: this is a great cake to give as a gift because it's simple yet has a sensational vanilla flavor, and it's hard to find someone who doesn't like it. I like making small loaf cakes (this recipe yields 4).
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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The Best Brown Butter Cake
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups cake or all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar, I use light brown sometimes
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons prepared coffee
Instructions
To make brown butter:
- Melt 1 cup unsalted butter in a medium saucepan with tall sides (a few inches or so depending on the amount of butter you're browning) over medium heat.
- It will melt, bubble, and make a furious noise (this will be louder depending on how much water the butter has). Then, the bubbles will get smaller, gradually stop chirping (really, it's a chirping noise, you'll see), and foam quite a bit.
- Be careful as it will start browning underneath the foam. You will smell a nutty aroma.
- It's very important that you split the foam with the spoon or spatula you're using and see that it doesn’t burn. You want it to be an amber color. Like caramel, it goes from amber to burned in a short moment, so be careful.
- Take it out and put it in a shallow pan, so it stops cooking. Allow to cool and refrigerate until cold. It doesn’t need to solidify completely; you want it soft.
For the cake:
- Sift together 2 cups cake or all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Reserve. I measure the ingredients and sift them directly when adding them to the butter mixture.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Grease a large 10-cup bundt cake pan with soft shortening. Dust with flour, shaking off excess.
- In a large bowl, beat brown butter, gradually add 1 ½ cups sugar, and beat for 3 minutes, until light and airy.
- Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with ¾ cup buttermilk and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in 2 parts. Don't overbeat as it will make the cake tough.
- Put the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack and carefully remove from the pan onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before glazing.
- Store leftovers wrapped in film or covered.
For the glaze:
- Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons prepared coffee until you have a spreadable, honey-like consistency. Pour over the cold cake and let it drip down the sides.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Baking for all Seasons by Flo Braker, a cookbook I highly recommend to own if you like baking.
Earl Williams says
Thank you so much for explaining and showing how this brown butter is made. No knowing has kept me away from many recipes God Bless You.
Paula Montenegro says
You should try it Earl! It's a wonderful discovery. Have a great week!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I'm so happy to discover that you have returned to blogging. or should I say sharing your recipes in English. Your cake sounds delicious. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all the best in the New Year. Feliz Año Nuevo!