Pumpkin Cake With Brown Butter Icing Recipe

Name: Pumpkin Cake With Browned Butter Icing Recipe
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 53 min
Ingredients: Cooking spray, or butter, for greasing; 2 cups all-purpose flour , plus more for pan; 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed); 1 cup vegetable oil (such as canola, safflower, or corn oil); 4 large eggs; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (packed); 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Prep: 18 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 53 mins

Servings: 16 servings

Yield: 1 cake

12 ratings

Write a Review

Add a comment

Browning the butter for this pumpkin cake's icing adds wonderful flavor, and it goes so well with the spiced cake. Feel free to use your favorite cream cheese icing, or if you're pressed for time, use a purchased frosting. This pumpkin cake makes a fabulous dessert for Thanksgiving or make it for a fall treat any time.

What's the Difference Between Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

For the Cake:

Cooking spray, or butter, for greasing
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup vegetable oil (e.g., canola, safflower, or corn oil)
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree, packed

For the Brown Butter Frosting:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons milk

Prepare the Cake

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Grease and flour a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking pan.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices; stir and set aside.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar and brown sugar with oil, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth and well blended.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Slowly beat in the dry ingredients until moistened; beat for about 1 minute on medium speed, or until the batter is smooth and well blended.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched with a finger. Cool completely before frosting.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Prepare the Frosting

Heat the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, just until the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 5 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and let cool.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl. When the butter is completely cooled, add to the confectioners' sugar along with the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Slowly beat to blend, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk, or enough to get to a desired spreading consistency.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Spread on the cooled cake.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Cut into bars or squares and serve.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
377	Calories
19g	Fat
50g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories	377
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g	24%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 56mg	19%
Sodium 244mg	11%
Total Carbohydrate 50g	18%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 1mg	6%
Calcium 72mg	6%
Iron 1mg	8%
Potassium 105mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.