Brown Butter Cake

I’ve been enjoying experimenting a bit with different buttercream flowers on my cakes lately and it’s been so fun! I made a “painted” rose cake last week where I mostly used a palette knife to create petals and it gave an interesting three dimensional effect to the surface but this time I wanted to try and make some buttercream orchids.

I had actually experimented piping them a few weeks ago, using them as cookie toppers and they worked well but I think a cake is the best venue for this flower 🙂

What is Browned butter?

Basically it’s butter that you’ve cooked! In the process all the milk solids in the butter become caramelized and impart a nutty depth of flavor that can only be described as intoxicating.

To make it add butter to a small pot and cook on low heat stirring occasionally. That’s it! Transfer to a bowl once it’s browned to a nice golden color.

If you haven’t browned butter before you’ve got to try! Cooking it adds a depth of flavor, intensified nuttiness and this incredible aroma. Browned butter enhances both sweet and savory dishes, you’re going to be hooked!

How do You Make Italian Meringue Buttercream??

Watch the video above to see ALL the steps to make creamy, dreamy Italian meringue buttercream!

About the Decorating

First of all, you don’t have to pipe buttercream orchids and all that, just stop at the crumb coat and get to eating, it’s just delicious and I love seeing all the flecks from the vanilla beans and caramelized butter bits.

If you are piping the flowers I recommend storing them in the fridge or freezer while you get everything together so they can be handled without crushing them.

If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.

Can you see all the browned butter and vanilla bean flecks in the buttercream and cake??? Also I gotta say, love the color scheme and especially the green and brown I got by using match cocoa powder for the buds and stem.

Some Tips and Pointers

• I should mention that I ordered two piping tips for this cake that made a huge difference, they’re shaped like curved tear drops and are a total game-changer, 120 and 127. You can use there to make many different types of petals and I highly recommend them.
• If you’re not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans.
• If you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
• You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
• To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!

Steps to Make This Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 345F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use damp cake strips on my pans for even baking. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir. Cook until the butter has browned and turns into a golden color. Pour the butter into a bowl and transfer to the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Keep an eye on the consistency while it’s in the fridge and stir frequently. Take it out when it congeals. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including sugar. 
2. Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
3. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly into the buttered cake pans. Add damp baking strips. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch. Let the layers cool in the cake pans for about 4 min, then dump them out onto a wire cooling rack. 
4. In a medium saucepan add the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F. Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately. Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid. Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature browned butter into the running mixer one tablespoon at a time. Add the vanilla. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency. Transfer to a piping bag. For the plain Italian buttercream, repeat the same steps but with regular, room temperate butter instead of brown butter. 
5. Pipe the brown butter Italian meringue between each layer. Pipe a crumb coat and smooth with a bench scraper and offset spatula.
6. Pipe an outer layer of white Italian meringue buttercream. Smooth with a clean bench scraper and offset spatula. Sketch out the leaves. 
7. Cut square pieces of parchment paper. Use gel food coloring to dye the buttercream soft shades of pink, yellow and green. Transfer the pink to piping bags fitted with a 120 tip, 127 tip and a 401 tip.
8. For the smaller orchids, use the 127 tip to make a small base on the parchment paper and piping nail. Pipe 2 large semi circular flat petals using the 127 tip with the thick side facing inward. Use the 401 tip to create 2 hooded petals in the center.
9. For the larger orchids, repeat the same process as above using the 120 tip for the base. You can pipe some yellow in the center using a small round tip. Add little details with dark coloring. Chill until ready to serve.
10. For the stems, microwave candy melts. Add matcha and cocoa powder until you get a desired color. Freehand pipe the orchid stems. Double over the candy melt to make them a bit stronger. Let them cool and carefully remove.
11. Use a palette knife to paint on the darker green Italian meringue buttercream. Add the largest stem.
12. Pipe a dollop of buttercream as glue for the orchids. Add flowers along the stems.

If you’ve tried this cake then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

Print

Brown Butter Cake

An intoxicating brown butter vanilla cake that's covered in hand piped Italian meringue buttercream orchids! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brown butter cake recipe, orchid cake

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Servings 10

Calories 260 kcal

Author John K.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 213g
• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar 303g
• 1/4 tsp baking soda heaping
• 1 tsp baking powder heaping
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup brown butter 170g, unsalted, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream 120ml, room temperature
• 1/2 cup whole milk 120ml, room temperature or warm
• 3 egg whites room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract nice
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

For the Italian Meringue Buttercream and Brown Butter Italian Buttercream:

• 8 large egg whites room temperature
• 2 2/3 cups sugar 550g, divided
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• 2 cups browned butter 454g unsalted room temperature
• 2 cups butter 454g, unsalted room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 2/3 cup water 160ml

For the Stems:

• parchment paper
• ½ cup candy melts 84g
• 1 tbsp matcha powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 345 degrees F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use damp cake strips on my pans for even baking. 

2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir. Cook until the butter has browned and turns into a golden color. Pour the butter into a bowl and transfer to the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Keep an eye on the consistency while it’s in the fridge and stir frequently. Take it out when it congeals.

3. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including sugar.

4. Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.

5. Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined.

6. Divide the mixture evenly into the buttered cake pans. Add damp baking strips.

7. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.

8. Let the layers cool in the cake pans for about 4 min, then dump them out onto a wire cooling rack. 

For the Brown Butter Italian Buttercream:

1. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.

2. Beat 4 room temperature egg whites, a pinch salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.

3. When the temperature reads 235-240F, drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixer immediately.

4. Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid. 

5. Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature brown butter into running mixer one tablespoon at a time.

6. Add 1 tsp vanilla.

7. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.

8. Transfer to a piping bag. 

For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:

1. In a medium saucepan add 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.

2. Beat 4 room temperature egg whites, a pinch salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.

3. When the temperature reads 235-240F, drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixer immediately.

4. Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid.

5. Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into the running mixer one tablespoon at a time.

6. Add 1 tsp vanilla.

7. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
8. Save about 1.5 cups for the orchid flowers.
9. Transfer the rest to a piping bag and snip off the tip.

For the Orchids:

1. Cut square pieces of parchment paper. Use gel food coloring to dye the buttercream soft shades of pink, yellow and green.

2. Transfer the pink to piping bags fitted with a 120 tip, 127 tip and a 401 tip.

3. For the smaller orchids, use the 127 tip to make a small base on the parchment paper and piping nail. Pipe 2 large semi circular flat petals using the 127 tip with the thick side facing inward. Use the 401 tip to create 2 hooded petals in the center.

4. For the larger orchids, repeat the same process as above using the 120 tip for the base.

5. You can pipe some yellow in the center using a small round tip. Add little details with dark coloring.

6. Chill until ready to serve.

For the Stems:

1. Microwave candy melts.

2. Add matcha and cocoa powder until you get a desired color.

3. Freehand pipe the orchid stems. Double over the candy melt to make them a bit stronger.

4. Let them cool and carefully remove.

For the Assembly:

1. Pipe the browned butter italian meringue between each layer. Pipe a crumb coat and smooth with a bench scraper and offset spatula.

2. Pipe an outer layer of white italian meringue buttercream. Smooth with a clean bench scraper and offset spatula. 

3. Sketch out the leaves. Use a palette knife to paint on the darker green italian meringue buttercream.

4. Add the largest stem.

5. Pipe a dollop of buttercream as glue for the orchids. Add flowers along the stems.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Notes on Decoration

I went all out decorating this cake but I have to say that it would be JUST as delicious with just the brown butter Italian meringue buttercream smeared on. The orchids are delicate and will not stand up well to heat. 

If you are piping the flowers I recommend storing them in the freezer while you get everything together so they can be handled without crushing them.

I used two piping tips for this cake that made a huge difference, they're shaped like curved tear drops and are a total game-changer, 120 and 127. You can use there to make many different types of petals and I highly recommend them.

Nutrition Facts

Brown Butter Cake

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 260 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 13g 20%

Saturated Fat 6g 30%

Trans Fat 1g

Sodium 230mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 33g 11%

Sugars 25g

Protein 3g 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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