Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake
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This supremely moist and tender pumpkin cake is made with nutty browned butter and real pumpkin and smothered in a smooth and creamy maple and cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
BROWNED BUTTER IS WHAT YOUR Pumpkin CAKE IS MISSING
Ok, ok. Maybe it’s not the only thing it’s missing (says my pumpkin sheet cake and my pumpkin bundt cake that get along without it just fine). But if we’re strictly speaking about pumpkin layer cake recipes that have left you disappointed with either a dry, flavorless crumb or the opposite, a wet and soggy layer of mush, this trusted pumpkin cake recipe should be a staple on your cake recipe list.
Perhaps I should have said “your repeat recipes list is missing this pumpkin cake.” How about that? Emphasis on the brown butter, of course.
This cake recipe dates all the way back to 2017, the year when my monthly recipe was cakes. It’s been a go-to for me every fall, a fan favorite among my readers, and one that’s requested every school year as the treat served at our first PTO meeting in September.
It’s simple enough to be called “easy” but over-delivers in the taste department, bursting with fresh pumpkin flavor, a whole host of spices to complement and accentuate the earthiness that pumpkin, and a fall-flavored frosting that pairs so well with everything it covers, you may find yourself seeking out cans of pumpkin year round just to make it.
What is Brown Butter AND DO I HAVE TO USE IT IN THIS CAKE?
Brown butter or browned butter (the terms are basically interchangeable here) is butter that has been, well, browned. When butter is heated and melted, it starts to separate into fat, milk protein, and water. The milk proteins are heavy relative to the fat and water, so they sink to the bottom of the pan and cook, bringing deep nutty flavor and brown color to the butter.
I have an extensive post dedicated to browning butter if you’d like to see more visuals and instructions than what I have here.
YES, YOU CAN USE MELTED BUTTER
Buuuuuut I highly recommend browning it, because the flavor just adds a whole extra dimension of “cozy” to the overall taste of the cake. Since browning butter removes some of the water/moisture, you’ll only need to melt 7 Tablespoons to match what’s typically left after browning 8 Tablespoons of butter.
Regardless of which route you go, you’ll let your butter cool a bit before using it, but when it’s ready, the rest of this cake is easy as (pumpkin) pie. No mixer required, just two bowls (one for the dry team, another for the wet team), and your batter is ready in no time.
Pumpkin Cake Ingredients
Here’s a visual of the ingredients you’ll need for this cake. Be sure you’re scrolling down to the recipe card for exact measurements and preparations of the ingredients for perfect results.
I love adding mega spice to my pumpkin and gingerbread treats, so you’ll see some black pepper in the recipe card. Trust that I’ve chosen this addition carefully to deliver maximum flavor to your cake, and never in a million years would someone be able to detect it. It’s subtle but helps to really deliver that punch.
How to make Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
The process for making this cake is really simple, but you’ll want to be sure you’re building in time to brown your butter and then let it cool. This will be about 20 minutes or so of additional time, and you can always speed that time up a bit by popping your browned butter into the refrigerator to cool it more quickly.
STARY BY BROWNING THE BUTTER
STEP #1: in a heavy-bottomed large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir frequently with a spatula or swirl the pan to cook the butter evenly. It will turn lemon yellow, then golden brown, then deep amber. The milk proteins will separate out and start to brown faster than the butter. This is ok.
STEP #2: when the butter is deep amber and smells nutty, remove from heat and pour into a small bowl, trying your best to leave the cooked milk proteins in the pan. Allow the butter to cool about 15 minutes.
Again, if you need a lot of visuals and would prefer more detailed instructions, visit my post about how to brown butter.
MAKE THE CAKE BATTER
STEP #3: start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, and spices (including salt), then set this mixture aside.
STEP #4: next, whisk together the browned butter, pumpkin purée, both sugars, eggs, and buttermilk until the mixture is smooth.
STEP #5: gently stir in the flour mixture until everything is just combined, then pour into the prepared pans and bake.
STEP #6: allow the cake layers to cool completely before removing them from the pans, trimming, stacking, and frosting.
CAN I TURN THIS RECIPE INTO CUPCAKES?
You’re in luck! I do have a recipe for pumpkin cupcakes.
DOES PUMPKIN CAKE NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Since this cake uses a cream cheese frosting and is very moist, it will not last at room temperature as long as a cake with, say, classic vanilla buttercream would, but it does not need to be refrigerated right away. If your kitchen is particularly warm, I recommend storing this cake in the refrigerator, but slices are best enjoyed at room temperature.
MAKE IT A FOUR LAYER CAKE
I get this question a lot, since some of my photos depict 4-layer cakes with a 2-layer recipe. This is just a personal preference, as I tend to like more frosting between cake layers so I will split layers in half to create two thinner layers for stacking. You can utilize this method, too, or simply keep them two thicker traditional layers.
Regardless of how many layers you make, this stick-to-your fork, plush pumpkin cake graced with the unique essence of brown butter, only made better by a creamy, dreamy, fall flavor-infused cream cheese frosting is just what your fall baking lineup needs. Grab your forks, folks!
MORE FROSTING OPTIONS
Feel free to use traditional cream cheese frosting or brown some more butter and make my brown butter cream cheese frosting! Looking for something a little lighter? Make my Swiss meringue buttercream and consider spicing it up with cinnamon.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake with Maple Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CAKE
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cut into 8 slices
- 2 and ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 and ½ cups pumpkin purée1
- 1 and ½ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup (132g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature2
- ⅓ cup (80mL) buttermilk2
MAPLE CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 8 ounces (227g) full fat block cream cheese softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 3 and ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (15mL) pure maple syrup
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN CAKE
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease and flour (or use homemade cake release) two 8-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a heavy-bottomed large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir frequently with a spatula or swirl the pan to cook the butter evenly. It will turn lemon yellow, then golden brown, then deep amber. The milk proteins will separate out and start to brown faster than the butter. This is ok. When the butter is deep amber and smells nutty, remove from heat and pour into a small bowl, trying your best to leave the cooked milk proteins in the pan. Allow the butter to cool about 15 minutes.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.2 and ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- In a large bowl, whisk together the browned butter, pumpkin purée, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until smooth. Gently stir in the flour mixture until everything is just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans.1 and ½ cups pumpkin purée1, 1 and ½ cups (250g) granulated sugar, ⅔ cup (132g) firmly packed light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, ⅓ cup (80mL) buttermilk2
- Bake the cakes for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely in the pans on a wire rack before removing and assembling.
MAPLE CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- In a large bowl with a handheld or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt.8 ounces (227g) full fat block cream cheese, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, 3 and ½ cups (420g) powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon (15mL) pure maple syrup, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, pinch of salt
- Increase mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE
- Trim cooled cake layers to create a flat surface. You can do this with a large serrated knife or a cake leveler. Place one layer on a plate or cake stand and cover the top with the cream cheese frosting. Spread evenly with an offset spatula.
- Place second layer on top, cut surface down. For a sturdier cake, refrigerate at this point for about 10 minutes. When cake is slightly chilled, remove from refrigerator and spread more frosting on the top and around the sides. Serve. Leftovers stay fresh, covered tightly, at room temperature up to 5 days and in the refrigerator up to 1 week.
- Make ahead: prepare cakes and frosting up to 1 day in advance. Cover cakes tightly and keep at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to assemble. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container until ready to use. Unfrosted cake layers may be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before assembling. Frosted cake can be frozen, wrapped tightly, up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Pumpkin: I always measure pumpkin purée with a measuring cup as the moisture content can wildly change the weight measurements, depending on the brand.
- Room temperature ingredients: it is important to use room temperature eggs when working with room temperature butter as it incorporates into batter much more evenly.
- Buttermilk: if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own: see my post about homemade buttermilk.
- Make this cake without browned butter: though I haven’t explicitly tested this cake with traditional melted butter, it will work! Melt 7 Tablespoons of unsalted butter in place of the brown butter and proceed with the recipe as directed.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Lynn, this cake looks absolutely incredible (but, that’s nothing new when it comes to you and cakes haha). LOVE your tips on the brown butter. I obvi haven’t tried in a while (darn MSPI kiddo) but I had a lot of trouble in the past too. Sounds like I need to get one of those awesome pans, too!
Yes, you must try it again when you’re free to eat as you please! The brown butter is a game changer for this cake, for sure!
Oh Lynn….you had me at brown butter. This cake is going to be on the TNL table for our next celebration you can bet on it! And even though I haven’t eaten it yet I bet it is the best pumpkin cake I’ll have ever eaten – how could it not be with all of those awesome ingredients! I love this time of year!!!! Well, I love living vicariously through my northern hemisphere friends at this time of year 😉
Hahaha, that’s ok! We do the same to you in the winter months! It’s a fair trade 🙂
What a beautiful, beautiful cake! Love all the delicious flavours going on here. Yum!
Hi Lynn!
I have gotten GREAT reviews from making this cake! I would like to try it as cupcakes, any suggestions as far as any modifications I should make?
Thank you!!
Rebecca
Hey, Rebecca! That’s great news! This recipe as written is totally fine to convert to cupcakes and should get you about 24-30 of them. Reduce baking time to about 14-16 minutes and check for doneness.
This cake is literally DELICIOUS. Super moist, slightly spongy and full of flavor. Just made it and I’m blown away
Thanks, Cierra! Glad you enjoyed it!
Just made this and it looks delish! Could you tell me what the crumb topping is made of?
Hey, Jennifer! The crumb topping in the photos is simply leftover cake crumbled on to the top!
Hi! The recipe calls for two cake pans but the pics shows four cake layers. Did you cut each cake in half horizontally?
Hey, Marlo— great question! Yes! I like to slice my layers on occasion to make prettier layers, but that’s just a personal decision.
3 words: MAKE. THIS. CAKE! It was seriously amazing. I made it for my husband to take to a Thanksgiving potluck at his job. It got rave reviews! He said one colleague had four prices AND took some home. Was impressed with how light the crumb was! Some pumpkin cakes can be dense – this wasn’t at all. I’ll be making again.
Thank you so much, Hailey! I love hearing this!
what is the crumble on the top and sides?
Hi, Taryn– that’s just cake scraps crumbled up.
thanks so much for this recipe and for answering my question so quickly! i made it for a birthday cake and it was a huge hit! i will definitely be making it again as cupcakes, it’s the perfect texture for that. i did use an egg replacer with no issues. i also decorated it similar to the photos but instead of crumbled cake i used toasted chopped pecans that i tossed in butter, maple syrup, sugar, and cinnamon. they were a great addition! highly recommend
That sounds AMAZING! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, Taryn. So glad you enjoyed it!