cooking is the demon i cling to

thefreshcipebox:

I’m slowly climbing down from the clouds after eating this pumpkin cake. I think a lot of others are in agreement, though not all, when I say, pumpkin is a perfect complement to all things fall. This cake really… takes the cake.. and is worth the indulgence.

An ideal pumpkin cake is moist, flavorful, a bit spicy, so why not amp it up with some nutty brown butter flavor. And then you can ninja kick your taste buds & catch them off guard by adding more brown butter & fresh vanilla bean to the cream cheese frosting.

Please don’t let the picture below fool you into thinking I made my own pumpkin puree. I didn’t, but I hail all you domestic goddesses and gods who make your own.

Brown butter pumpkin cake

recipe adapted from Fine Cooking

For the cake

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter; more for the pans
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 vanilla bean- split and scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

For the frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese- at room temperature
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 vanilla bean- split and scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
  

Directions

for the cake

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 6-7 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let stand until cool but not set, about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and cloves. In a large mixing bowl, mix  pumpkin purée with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla bean/extract and buttermilk until well blended. Slowly stir in the flour mixture until combined. Gently add in the brown butter until completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Bake the cakes until a toothpick comes out clean, about 28 minutes.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto racks, and cool completely.

for the frosting

Melt the butter in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 6-7 minutes.

Pour into a small bowl and let stand until the solids settle at the bottom of the bowl, about 5 minutes.

Carefully transfer the bowl to the freezer and chill until just firm, about 18 minutes. Using a spoon, carefully scrape the butter from bowl, leaving the browned solids at the bottom; discard the solids.

Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla bean/extract, salt and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light in color and the brown sugar has dissolved, 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar and continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

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