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Brown Butter Caramel Cake Recipe

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4 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings

Description

This Brown Butter Caramel Cake is a rich and moist dessert featuring a tender cake made with browned butter and a luscious homemade caramel sauce. With deep nutty flavors from the browned butter and a silky caramel glaze, this bundt cake offers a perfect balance of sweetness and complexity. Ideal for special occasions or anytime you want to impress with a decadent homemade treat.

Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla essence (vanilla bean paste recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon rum extract (optional)
  • 1 ⅓ cup whole buttermilk

Caramel Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (vanilla bean paste recommended)

Instructions

  1. Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 325°F. Generously spray a 10-cup bundt pan with baking spray or grease it well with butter, making sure to cover every corner for easy release. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  2. Brown the Butter: In a small, light-colored saucepan, melt the ½ cup unsalted butter over medium heat. Watch carefully as it melts and bubbles, turning a clear, light golden color, then gradually browns with a nutty aroma and brown bits forming at the bottom. Stir frequently and remove from heat once deeply browned. Let it cool slightly.
  3. Make Cake Batter: In a large bowl, combine the browned butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, eggs, vanilla essence, rum extract if using, and buttermilk. Whisk thoroughly until smooth. Add the flour mixture from step 1 and gently fold in with a spatula just until combined; avoid overmixing.
  4. Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Carefully invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
  5. Prepare Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves, about 3-4 minutes. Add the heavy cream and whisk to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thickened, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla essence. Let cool to room temperature to thicken.
  6. Glaze and Serve: Place the cooled cake on a serving plate and pour the caramel sauce over the top as desired. Slice the cake into wedges and serve. For extra indulgence, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Use a light-colored pan for browning butter to better monitor color changes.
  • Ensure eggs are at room temperature for better batter consistency.
  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender.
  • The caramel sauce will thicken as it cools; let it reach room temperature before glazing the cake.
  • The rum extract is optional but adds a nice depth of flavor.
  • You can store the cake and caramel sauce separately; reheat the sauce slightly before serving if needed.
  • Prep Time: 25 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://sarabaking.com/brown-butter-caramel-cake-recipe/