Brown Butter Spice Cake Recipe with Orange Buttercream Frosting

NOTE: Brown the butter (click here to learn how!) and let it cool to room temperature before beginning this recipe. You need ⅔ cup of browned butter for the cake and ½ browned butter for the buttercream. Butter loses some of its moisture and volume during browning. Brown 1½ cups of butter, and measure accordingly.

For the Spice Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line 3 (8-inch) cake pans with parchment paper. Spray the lined pans with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake mix, water, browned butter, eggs, and rum together. Set aside.
3. Evenly divide the batter into the prepared pans (about 556 grams per pan).
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Remove the cakes from the oven. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing from the pans and completely cooling on a cooling rack.

For the Orange Buttercream Frosting

1. While the cake layers cool, make the frosting. Add the butters, salt, orange juice, and orange zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat for 1-2 minutes on medium speed.
2. Add ½ of the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
3. Add the remaining powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated. Once combined, beat the frosting on medium speed for 7-10 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add more powdered sugar and/or orange juice as needed until you reach the desired consistency.

To Assemble

1. Once the cake layers are completely cool, begin assembling the layer cake. If the cakes are domed shaped, use a serrated knife to trim the tops.
2. Spread a dollop of buttercream on the cake board/plate. Place the first cake layer on the plate, bottom facing up. The buttercream on the plate helps to keep the cake steady and prevents it from moving around during assembly.
3. Use an icing spatula to spread an even layer of buttercream onto the first cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top, bottom facing up. Repeat this process for the third cake layer.
4. Add a crumb coat to the cake by spreading a thin layer of buttercream around the sides and top of the cake. Place the cake in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.
5. Once the crumb coat has hardened, frost the cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing the top and sides of the cake with an icing spatula or bench scraper. Use a small icing spatula to make swirls on top of the cake and a buttercream comb to make patterns on the sides of the cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy.