High Altitude Brown Butter Pecan Cake
A rich and buttery cake that's made with brown butter and brown sugar, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and full of crunchy pecans.
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, browned and cooled to a room temperature solid
- 2 ¼ cups light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ⅛ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ⅓ cups whole milk
- ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
Buttercream
- 2 ½ cups unsalted butter, browned and cooled to a room temperature solid
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp meringue powder (optional)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 4-5 tbsp milk or cream, if needed for desired consistency
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup finely chopped pecans, lightly toasted and cooled
Instructions
Getting Ready
- To make the browned butter for both the cake and the buttercream, place 2 lbs of butter (4 cups) in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, swirling occasionally, until nutty brown solids form at the bottom of the pan. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until solid, then set out to soften to room temperature before using (this step can be done a day in advance).After browning the butter, you’ll find that it has reduced a little and you’ll have slightly less than what you started with. Measure out 1 1/2 cups for the cake first , and use the remaining 2 – 2 1/2 cups for the buttercream.
- To toast the pecans for the cake and buttercream, spread the pecans out onto a baking sheet. Toast in a 300-degree oven for 4-6 minutes, until fragrant and hot. Let cool before chopping and adding to the other ingredients.
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray the bottoms of four 8-inch pans with non-stick baking spray, line with parchment paper, then spray the paper as well. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until fluffy, scraping the bowl down several times. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and beat for 30 more seconds.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl in 3 additions, alternating with the milk and sour cream, starting and ending with the flour, stirring just until moistened. Fold in the pecans.
- Pour batter into the pans. Bake cakes for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cakes in the pans on a wire rack, covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar (starting with 4 cups), meringue powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar mixture by spoonfuls.
- Add the milk/cream and vanilla and increase speed to medium high, whipping until very light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes. Add the 5th cup of powdered sugar only if needed for desired consistency. Fold in the chopped pecans.
- Stack, fill and frost the cooled cakes with the buttercream.
Notes
The cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be baked and frosted in advance, and frozen for 3-6 months in an airtight container.
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