Dietitian on a Mission: OMG Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Forgive me Blog Readers, for I have sinned. It's been over 3 months since I last blogged. For penance, how about I do 2 Hail Mary's and present you with this bad boy of a cake? Deal? Read on...

This is my first post since Byron was born - it only took me 3 1/2 months to motivate and catch my breath (I'm even breastfeeding as I type! How's that for multi-tasking?). But I'm back y'all and I bring forth a recipe so delicious and sinful, you must make it immediately. You don't need any excuse other than Katie told me to make it. It has almost 3 sticks of brown butter between the cake and the frosting and loads of cinnamon spice. Need I say more? I declare this cake the perfect Fall dessert (or breakfast).

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
(Cake adapted from Fine Cooking)

cake:

6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pans
1- 15 oz can pumpkin
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of ginger
1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp. table salt
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk (I used milk with a splash of vinegar)

Icing:

stick of unsalted butter

~2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp milk (or whipping cream)

pinch of salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Cake-

Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 8 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 pumpkin pie spice. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin purée with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until very well blended. With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Gently whisk in the brown butter until completely incorporated. Pour batter into bunt pan that has been well lubed.

Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out onto rack, remove the pan and cool completely before frosting.

Icing-

Brown butter over medium high heat - takes about 5-10 minutes. Should be nice and nutty smelling. Meanwhile sift powdered sugar and set aside. Add sugar, salt, vanilla and 1 Tbsp milk immediately once butter is done. Wisk away. Add more milk if needed.

Immediately pour icing over cake, as it thickens fast and gets a bit awkward to work with when cooled.

Enjoy!