Williams-sonoma's Brown Butter Cake

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 32 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 4 eggs

Recipe

• 1 have all the ingredients at room temperature.
• 2 in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, then cook until the solids separate and settle on the pan bottom, 3 to 5 minutes.
• 3 continue to cook until the solids brown and are almost burnt, 18 to 20 minutes more.
• 4 pour the brown butter into a bowl, leaving the solids in the pan (discard the solids).
• 5 let the butter cool at room temperature until firm.
• 6 the brown butter can be prepared up to 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• 7 bring to room temperature before using.
• 8 position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 325°f
• 9 brush the pan with unsalted vegetable shortening and lightly flour.
• 10 tap out excess flour.
• 11 over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• 12 in a small bowl, combine the milk and vanilla.
• 13 set aside.
• 14 in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the brown butter on medium speed until creamy and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 15 add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• 16 add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 17 reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture and beginning and ending with the flour.
• 18 beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• 19 spoon the batter into the prepared pan, dividing it evenly between the two halves. bake until the center of the cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
• 20 transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
• 21 tap the pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake.
• 22 set the rack over the top of the cake, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan.
• 23 let the cake cool completely, 3 to 4 hours, before assembling and decorating with vanilla buttercream.
• 24 if you're using a 9x13 pan:.
• 25 butter and flour pan.
• 26 spoon cake mix into pan and smooth out.
• 27 bake at 325°f for 30-45 minutes, using a toothpick to test doneness.
• 28 cool for 15 minutes and remove from pan; setting cake on cooling rack to cool completely.
• 29 frost as desired.