Chocolate Cake, Brown Butter Frosting

By MarieR

Bake From Scratch, June 2016, Page 107, 4-layer 9-inch cake
The brown butter frosting makes this cake extra flavorful. It's our number-one flavor combination at Little Flower.

Ingredients

• Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting Recipe:
• CAKE
• Makes 1 (9-inch) 4-layer cake
• 2 cups (456 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups (800 grams) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups (560 grams) brewed coffee, room temperature
• 2 cups (500 grams) sour cream
• 5 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon (684 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 cups (228 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting
• Makes 1 quart
• 1 cup (228 grams) Brown Butter, softened (recipe below))
• 3 1/2 cups (417 grams) confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preparation

Step 1

For Cake:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with parchment and lightly coat with nonstick spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape bowl well. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined. Scrape bowl well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and almond extract, and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape bowl well. In a medium bowl, whisk together coffee and sour cream. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients and coffee mixture alternately, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Scrape bowl well after each addition. Mix on medium speed until batter is fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute.
4. Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake 20 minutes, rotate pans, and continue baking until cake domes slightly and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 more minutes. Let coo! before unmolding. Wrap each layer with plastic wrap, and chill. 5. Place cake layer on cake turntable. Use a serrated knife to score edge of cake to split it into two even layers. Once scored, use serrated knife in a sawing motion to carefully split the cake. Repeat with the other cake, so you end up with 4 layers. Trim off domes, and frost with Brown Butt.

For Brown Butter Buttercream Frosting
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream Brown Butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar in 3 additions on low speed. Scrape bowl well with rubber spatula after each addition. Add vanilla extract and salt, and mix until incorporated. Scrape bow well. Add cream and milk, and mix on low speed until well incorporated. Scrape bowl well. Increase speed to medium-high and cream for 2 minutes. Transfer into a smell-proof container. Use immediately, or store covered in refrigerator up to
2 weeks.

For Brown Butter
To make brown butter, place butter in a medium or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat butter until it foams and milk solids fall to bottom of pot. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom so that milk solids brown evenly without burning. Let butter foam a second time. Butter should have a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let cool.