Pumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Glaze
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I have a major problem, you guys.
I married this guy. He’s cute and all, but he doesn’t like cake. Specifically, he doesn’t like cake because of the frosting.
Personally, I believe that cake only exists to serve a purpose for frosting, but whatever. He thinks that the frosting ruins a cake and he won’t eat it.
Like, ever.
He even makes judge-y faces at me when I scrape his frosting off a piece of cake for him and proceed to eat the frosting with a spoon. He thinks that’s “weird.” Or “gross.” Or “a problem that needs medical help.” Doesn’t he understand that I’m only doing that to help him out?
He just doesn’t get me.
But, then! I made this cake. And I topped it with this glaze. He looked at me with his sad eyes, all “oh, you had to ruin it with the frosting, didn’t you?”
So, I did what any loving wife would do and I begged him to just try a tiny bite of the frosting. Off a spoon. The way God intended. Making him try foods that he’s already declared he hates is a hobby of mine.
This time, though, he liked it. In fact, he ate a SECOND spoonful of frosting. Then he ate a piece of cake and the heavens rejoiced.
What I’m saying is, this browned butter glaze/frosting saves marriages. We nearly had to divorce over our difference of opinion, but now I can continue having someone around to take out the trash. Thank goodness.
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SavePumpkin Cake with Browned Butter Glaze
This is basically Fall on a cake stand. The pumpkin flavor shines through in the cake and it's deliciously moist. Using a cake mix makes things simple, too. The glaze is simply out of this world. Browned butter truly is magical.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 eggs
For the glaze:
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
To make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a bundt pan. (If you don't have a bundt pan, cake pans or a 9x13 dish will work, but reduce the baking time if needed.)
Beat together all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer for 2 minutes or until well combined, light, and somewhat fluffy.
Add batter to bundt pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Cool for 15 minutes in the bundt pan before turning onto a cake platter to finish cooling.
For the glaze:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat until browned, about 8 minutes.
Pour the butter into a small bowl and whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake.
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My son won’t eat frosting.
Which is even worse because I mean…I grew the kid. I don’t even know how it’s possible.
This looks so good though, I will gladly eat his share of frosting.
Karly — September 28th, 2012 @ 11:22 am
@Cookbook Queen,
We can all hold out hope for Lucy.
My oldest one won’t eat frosting, my middle one eats only frosting and leaves the cake, I can eat it straight from the bowl and so can my Hubs. Browned butter frosting is life-changing, that’s for sure. This cake looks amazing, Karly!
That glaze? Heaven.
*covers face in shame* I’m so sorry to say this but, I agree with your hubby.
I’M SORRY!! DON’T YOU GIVE UP ON ME, KARLY!!
Maybe it’s because I was ruined with off-tasting globs of frosting on poorly store-made birthday cakes as a kid, but I’ve never been a huge fan of the stuff. A little goes a LONG way in my opinion, so typically, I’ll remove the icing & get straight to the cake. Cake. Just saying that word makes my heart pitter-patter. But um, since this is a glaze, it’s totally different. Don’t ask me why, just is. And brown butter IS magical, so I’d be all over this, no problem. Just don’t come after me forcing me to eat buttercream.
Karly — September 28th, 2012 @ 11:23 am
@Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel,
You should have seen the look on my face while reading this comment. Pure and utter disappointment. I thought I knew you, Hayley.
I happen to have a pumpkin cake recipe going out on Monday – we’re on the same wavelength! And lately when I’ve been making banana breads and other cakes, I have been in love with browned butter glazes and frostings and cream cheese frosting variations using it. It just adds so much! Glad your hubs came to his senses
This looks fabulous!
browned butter IS the key to world peace.
The cake and glaze look seriously amazing. I’m imagining I’m eating a slice right now. Only I”m not doing very well as I’m actually eating a bowl of fruit in the middle frosted shredded mini wheat. Somehow…it’s just not the same. oh the humanity!!!
I don’t consider it a “cake” unless it has frosting. 75% frosting, 25% cake. I looooooooove brown butter glaze Karly! I would drink it if my skinny jeans let me..
Karly — September 28th, 2012 @ 11:46 am
@sally @ sallys baking addiction,
Exactly. It’s like a great big muffin if there isn’t any frosting. And muffins are nice, but they can’t compete with cake.
Mine doesn’t like cake because he always thinks it’s too dry. But I love this glaze, and pumpkin cake can never be too dry!
I completely understand your dilemma – except I’m the frosting hater and my husband is the frosting lover. Which creates huge problems since I’m the baker and refuse to frost anything! This, however, looks too fabulous to be true. I will definitely step out of my comfort zone to try this one.
Cake without frosting is totally wrong! In fact when I make cupcakes, I like my frosting to be as thick as the cupcake it is standing on. I am so glad you were able to get your hubby to try this “glaze”…baby steps…maybe there is hope that one day he will leave the frosting on his cake:-)
Ohhh, I might have to make this over the weekend. I have a work crew doing a few things around the house, and they would loooove something like this. Will try the glaze, too!! Sounds yummy.
~~Lori
Okay…so my husband’s name is Mel. I’m just making sure he’s not married to both of us, because you just described him to a T.
This cake is stunning, and SO delish!!! I made browned butter frosting the first time last year (for a pumpkin cake, go figure) and OHMYGOD it’s the best ever. I need this cake!
My husband doesn’t eat cake, let alone frosting. I guess that just means that I would have to “suffer” through eating all of it!
Browned butter is straight from heaven
What a great recipe!
Um, did you marry my husband…’cause I thought I was the only one who married some wacko that doesn’t like frosting (or really any other dessert, for that matter. Whatsupwiththat???). In my opinion, cake is just the vessel for getting frosting to my pie-hole when I don’t have a spoon handy. Eek, this cake looks soooooo good–I’m dyin’ over that glaze!
That glaze will be the end of me!
Gorgeous!
I’m so stoked its finally time for pumpkins! This cake looks to die for and that browned butter glaze puts it over the top!
My husband loves that I don’t like frosting because he gets to eat mine.
This cake sounds yummy, thanks!
Who doesn’t like frosting? Amazing cake!
I made this recipe yesterday and it was AMAZING!!! I couldn’t wait until the cake was completely cool before drizzling and serving, so the brown butter glaze (my favorite since I was a wee lass) kind of soaked up into the cake and it was delicious! Thanks for such a yummy and easy recipe!!!
Made this last night to bring to work today… so easy and delicious! I am stuck in an all pumpkin all the time phase of my baking, and this has been one of this best things I have made! Also my first experience with the brown butter ( I was terrified of this for some reason), not as scary as I imagined, and it smelled like yummy fall goodness!!
I don’t have any yellow cake mix in the house and I want to make this today. Think I can substitute spice cake mix and leave out the cinnamon?
Karly — October 12th, 2012 @ 9:40 am
@Erin,
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work! Might be even more Fall/pumpkin flavored with all the spices!
Hi Karly! Absolutely love your blog! I want to try this glaze tonight, but was wondering if it would work with almond milk instead of regular milk? Thanks!
Karly — October 30th, 2012 @ 4:35 pm
@Janna,
I can’t see why it wouldn’t!
Update us and let us know if you try it!
Made this today and although it was delicious, I would definitely add a lot more spice to the cake. 1 teaspoon of cinnamon is not nearly enough. The glaze is divine.