Brown Butter Snacking Cake
User Reviews
5
-
Servings
8 servings
Brown Butter Snacking Cake
Description
The Brown Butter Snacking Cake develops its distinctive flavor through browning the butter until it produces nutty browned bits and a golden color. This browned butter is combined with light brown sugar, milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, yielding a smooth batter. Flour, sea salt, and baking powder are added last and gently mixed to maintain a tender crumb.
Baked in a buttered cast iron skillet or baking dish, the cake forms a lightly golden surface with a soft interior that moistens due to the sour cream and browned butter. A topping of turbinado sugar adds a subtle texture contrast when sprinkled before baking.
This cake is suitable for enjoying as a quick homemade sweet treat, especially with coffee or tea. The use of browned butter supplies depth without complicated ingredients or steps, relying on simple pantry staples and careful attention during the butter browning stage.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, plus more for greasing the pan
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup milk whole
- 1/4 cup sour cream can omit and use 1/2 cup milk as alternative
- 2 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 165 grams
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt fine grain
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350°F . Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Grease a 10" cast iron skillet (or square baking dish) with butter, and set aside.
- Warm butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then foam and bubble, then start to brown. You will notice little brown bits forming at the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently during this process and keep your attention on the pot. The butter can go from wonderfully brown to burnt in just a few moments. You will know the butter is done when it gives off a nutty aroma and turns a golden brown.
- Add brown butter to a large bowl with brown sugar, whisking to combine. Whisk in milk, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Add flour, sea salt, and baking powder to the bowl, stirring just until combined. Do not overmix here.
- Pour the cake batter in the prepared cast iron skillet, and cook until the top turns light golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean (25 - 30 minutes).
To serve, cut the cake in wedges, and enjoy with just about anything (butter, jam, ice cream, sweetened ricotta, fresh fruit, and fruit compote to name just a few).
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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