Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Maple Frosting

When I saw the recipe for this pumpkin cake with brown butter maple frosting on The Domestic Rebel I couldn’t resist making it and thankfully had all the ingredients on hand. I love it when that happens! The cake was very simple to make and turned out to be so moist, tender, and full of pumpkin flavor. The brown butter maple frosting was the most delicious frosting I’ve ever had but it’s very rich so a little goes a long way. My kids, husband, and I were all equally thrilled with this delicious cake and I have a feeling it will disappear quickly. I may make another one next week for Thanksgiving.

Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Maple Frosting

Pumpkin Cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree * Not pumpkin pie filling!
• 1½ cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Brown Butter Maple Frosting:

• 12 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

How to Make a Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Maple Frosting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray.

Make the pumpkin cake by combining the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt together in a bowl until well combined.

In another large bowl, beat the pumpkin puree, white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract together with a mixer until creamy and smooth, about 45-60 seconds.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture until the batter comes together and there are only a few lumps. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or when a wooden tester inserted in the center comes out with moist, not wet, crumbs. Remove from the heat and cool on a wire rack completely.

Make the Brown Butter Maple Frosting

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until melted. It will start to bubble, foam, and separate then will turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat immediately and pour into a dish to cool completely. Side Note: Watch the butter carefully while cooking because it can burn quickly & easily. 

Once the butter has cooled completely, mix the powdered sugar together with the brown butter (and the little brown specks!), heavy cream, and pure maple syrup in a bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until creamy and smooth.

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and serve.

Refrigerate the remaining cake in a sealed container.  Enjoy.