I sometimes wonder if I should have titled this blog The Browned Butter Blog. I really have a problem and it seems to be getting worse. Almost everything I make lately contains browned butter. I can’t help it, its just so wonderful. To bad you can’t buy butter already browned at the store, They’d make a killing off of me.
I’ve combined my love of browned butter and rustic cakes in this simple, yet wholesome Browned Butter Buckwheat Cake. It’s moist, rich, and buttery, and the buckwheat gives it a bit of earthy depth that really compliments the butter. You do need to plan a little bit ahead with this cake, as the butter needs to be browned, chilled, then brought back to room temperature before you can start baking. The extra step is totally worth it, though. I made this cake several times through the summer and berries were always my topping of choice, along with a bit of whipped cream on top(actually, if you know me well, you know that I really mean a plate of whipped cream with a little bit of cake and berries on top). But honestly, this cake is a great canvas for a myriad of toppings and would go well with sliced citrus, or figs, chocolate, whatever your preference might be!
- 1 cup (2 sticks) Salted Butter
- 4 large Eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup Buckwheat Flour
- 1 cup AP Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ cup Coconut Palm Sugar
- ½ cup Raw Cane Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla, divided
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 tablespoons Honey
- Berries, to top
- Place the butter in a sauce pan and heat it over medium/high heat until it begins to melt and foam. Continue to cook for another minute or so, until the butter becomes amber brown and develops a nutty aroma.
- Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and allow to cool in the fridge until solid, for about 30 minutes, or you can freeze the butter for 15 minutes, or until it becomes solid. Once solid, remove from fridge and set aside to bring back to room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- Beat browned butter until it becomes creamy, then add in the sugars and one teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat for 2-3 minutes, until well combined and creamed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.
- In another mixing bowl, combine the flours, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until combined.
- Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 35-40 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- let cake cool completely, then remove from pan.
- Place the cream, honey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Spread the cream over the top of the cooled cake. Top with berries and serve!
I absolutely adore browned butter. It has a flavour like nothing else and is a must in things like madeleines. These pictures are absolutely stunning, the cake looks gorgeous!