Soft and spicy, this cake has a tender crumb—thanks to browned butter—and a balanced cinnamon flavor that pairs with nearly any frosting so you can have spice cake year round.

The story

This is one of those cakes that I never get a good photo of. Not because it isn’t pretty. Because it rarely lasts long enough for me to photograph any leftovers.

Weirdly, quarantine helped with that!

This is one of my favorite cakes that I don’t get to make that often. It’s soft and fluffy and rich in cinnamon flavor. I bake it at 350 to get a slight crunch on the edge, which may sound weird but it’s a delicious surprise imo.

I don’t make this often because people usually request my chocolate or vanilla cake. Or because I’m trying something new. Plus, I don’t always think of cinnamon as a year round flavor. I made this for the first time for Cinco de Mayo. I’ve also made it for fiesta and fall themed birthdays.

But honestly, this cake is amazing any day of the year. Paired with my chocolate ganache (or even white chocolate) buttercream, it’s like a chocolate dipped churro. Especially if you add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a dash or two of cayenne for a Mexican chocolate frosting. I also love it with my whipped cream frosting, plus a few dashes of cinnamon for good measure. Or, for a simpler combination, use plain vanilla buttercream.

Pictured, I paired it with Ginger Bourbon Peach Compote and Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Buttercream. I haven’t named it yet, but it’s some sort of bourbon peach cinnamon spice cake. And it’s amazing.

How to make browned butter cinnamon cake

Brown your butter and let cool until the texture of softened butter.
Sift and whisk the dry ingredients and set aside.
Cream the browned butter and sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time, then vanilla.
Alternate adding half the flour, all of the milk, then remaining flour. Mix this part on low.
Bake in prepared pans.
Fill with ginger bourbon peach compote and frost with cinnamon vanilla bean buttercream. Enjoy!

Tips for this recipe

Use fresh, high quality cinnamon

There’s something different about using fresh cinnamon, not the jar that’s been in your cupboard for years. It’ll give you a bright spiced taste instead of a cardboardy, dirt taste. In the same way, high quality cinnamon (not necessarily expensive, just nicer than McCormick) will yield a better cinnamon punch. It’s what makes this cake taste high end, not generic or like a boxed cake.

Sift the flour

This is a crucial step I learned the hard way. If a recipe calls for sifted flour, always sift the flour. It’s a key factor in getting a fluffy cake with a nice crumb.

Brown the butter ahead of time

The butter takes about 1-2 hours to cool at room temperature. You want it to be a little firm, not mushy and oily. You can let it sit in the stove in the bowl you plan to make the batter in, stirring occasionally to reincorporate the milk solids (don’t strain them). You can also cool it in the fridge, but stir frequently and check often so you don’t solidify it, requiring more time to re-soften it.

The browned butter can also be refrigerated then softened like regular butter. Just leave it out about an hour, give or take depending on the temperature inside your house. If you do store it in the fridge, do so in an airtight container. Butter is notorious for absorbing any scents in your fridge, and no one wants the taste of leftovers in their cake.

Don’t sub regular butter

Browning the butter reduces the water content as well as the volume by almost 1/4, so it’s not an even swap. If you just use softened butter you will get a different result and may have an overly dense cake that won’t rise.

Don’t burn the butter!

I always use this tutorial by The Kitchn for browning butter. Basically, you cut it up, cook it in a small pan or saucepan over medium heat, stir frequently, and stop when the foamy phase subsides and/or it’s gone past golden to a golden brown color with a nutty smell. I often remove it while it’s still a little foamy if I’m happy with the color and smell. I also make sure I’m able to watch it carefully with no distractions. If my daughter is being especially clingy or needs my attention for some reason, I wait. This only takes a few minutes but it’s not something you can do while multitasking.

Make it a spice cake!

One alternative is to add 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. These flavor will make more of a Christmas spice cake flavor and are perfect for the holidays!

Browned Butter Cinnamon Cake

prep time: 30 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

total time: 1 hour, plus cool time for browned butter

Servings: one 8” or 9” cake or 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (European style, like Kerrygold, is recommended)

1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt

1 tablespoon high quality Ceylon cinnamon

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 ⅔ cup packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

⅔ cup whole milk, room temperature for 30 minutes

Instructions:

Brown the butter. Cut butter into a few pieces and place in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently. Butter will turn foamy as the water simmers out. After the foaming dies down, it will begin to darken to a golden color. Keep stirring until it has a nutty aroma and goes from golden to brown/dark brown. Watch very closely. It will go from just barely dark brown to burnt very quickly. The whole process should take about 6-8 minutes. See the link above for more tips.

As soon as the butter has browned, immediately pour it into a clean, heatproof bowl to cool, scraping down pan to get all that buttery goodness. Let cool at room temperature 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, or in the fridge 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. Cool until it is somewhat solid, like softened butter, with a bit of resistance when you press your finger into it.

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two to three 8” or 9” round cake pans, or use baking spray with flour. Line pans with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sifted flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream browned butter and brown sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy (not super light, but lighter), about 2-3 minutes. Scrape bowl at least twice.

Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.

Add half the flour and mix on low just until combined. Scrape bowl then add milk and mix on low until smooth. Scrape bowl then add remaining flour and mix on low just until combined.

Divide evenly between prepared pans. Bake 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and edges brown ever so slightly (just very slightly!). Let cool in pans 5-10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack until completely cool. Frost with cinnamon vanilla bean buttercream, chocolate buttercream, or your favorite frosting!

Frosted cake will last at room temperature 3-5 days, if tightly sealed, unless frosting requires otherwise (like whipped cream). Unfrosted, tightly wrapped cake layers can be left out overnight if using the next day, in the fridge 2-3 days, or in the freezer up to one month.

Enjoy!