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The Best Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Maple Buttercream

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Thick spiced pumpkin cake layers with a luscious browned butter maple buttercream - this cake is fall on a plate, but can be enjoyed ANYTIME throughout the year, for sure!
Servings 12 Slices

Ingredients

Spiced Pumpkin Cake Layers

  • 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 3 whole eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 15oz can Canned Pumpkin I prefer Libby's brand
  • 15.25oz box Yellow or White Cake Mix I prefer Duncan Hines for the best taste and texture, but anything you find that's similar should do.

Brown Butter Maple Buttercream

  • 1 1/2 cup butter (ONE 1/2 cup stick will be used for the browned butter, the other two will remain regular butter)
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tablespoon maple flavoring/extract I used McCormick
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar

Extra

  • 2-3 teaspoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for the top border

Instructions

For the Pumpkin Spice Cake Layers

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and prep two 8" cake rounds with a swipe of shortening and dust of flour. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, hand whisk together all the ingredients except for the cake mix. Sift in the cake mix, and gently fold it in to combine. Split the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans, and bake for 32-35 minutes until the center has baked through completely. Flip out the cakes and let cool on a wire rack until they've cooled completely. Wrap up the cakes in plastic wrap and chill/freeze until assembly.

For the Browned Butter Maple Buttercream

  • Ahead of time, place ONE stick (1/2 cup) of butter into a small sauce pan and let melt over medium heat for about 1 minute.
  • Let the butter come to a bubble, then it will start to foam. When it begins to foam, gently stir until you smell a nutty warm aroma coming from the browning butter, small bits of brown start to form, and the color changes to a brown amber color. Stir for about 20-30 more seconds, then remove the butter from the heat an immediately pour it into a bowl. *Remember to scrape the browned bits out of the bottom of the pan into your butter - that's where a lot of flavor is hiding, too!
    Place the browned butter, covered, into the fridge or freezer to come back to a solid.
  • In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip up the browned butter and regular butter until they're light and fluffy, and there are no browned butter chunks in the buttercream, about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the salt, vanilla, cinnamon, maple, and heavy cream and whip up again to combine.
  • With the stand mixer on the lowest speed, add in the powdered sugar about 1/2 cup at a time until it's all been added. You may need to add in a touch more heavy cream (1-2 Tablespoons) to thin if needed. Turn the mixer to the highest speed and let it whip to lighten the color and texture for about 2 minutes.

Assembly

  • On a cake turntable with a cardboard cake round, spread on a little bit of buttercream in the center, and spread it out slightly with an offset icing spatula. Place down the first cake layer, and add on a generous layer of buttercream. Add on the second layer and make sure everything is straight and lined up properly.
  • Crumb coat the entire cake by adding on a thin layer of buttercream around the entire cake. Freeze for 5 minutes to set the buttercream.
  • With a wooden spoon, hand-beat out any air bubbles in the buttercream by stirring vigorously until it's creamy and smooth.
  • Apply the final layer of buttercream around the outside of the cake. Use an angled icing spatula and cake turntable to make the swirl on top of the cake and a decorative thick scallop cake comb for the sides of the cake. Leave the top edge unfinished for a more rustic look.
  • Sprinkle on a little cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice around the top outside rim of the cake if desired. Enjoy!