BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE

BROWN BUTTER PUMPKIN LAYER CAKE image

Categories Cake Ginger Dessert Bake Christmas Thanksgiving Vegetarian

Yield 8-10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 32

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Ingredients

FOR THE PUREE
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 medium-large Sugar Pie pumpkin, cut in half from stem to bottom and seeded
Tip: You can substitute canned pumpkin purée for homemade, if you like.
FOR THE CAKE
6 oz. (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pans
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup buttermilk
FOR THE TOPPING
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2/3 cup pecans
1/2 cup unsalted, raw, hulled pepitas
2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
1-1/2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger
FOR THE FROSTING
4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 oz. (1-1/4 cups) confectioners' sugar
MAKE PUMPKIN PUREE
Heat oven to 350°F. Brush a 9x13 baking dish with oil. Put pumpkin halves in dish cut side down & bake until tender when pierced with a fork, ~45 mins. Let cool. Peel pumpkin & purée flesh in a food processor until smooth. You'll need 1-1/2 cups of purée for cake. Refrigerate or freeze any remaining purée for another use.
MAKE CAKE
Heat oven to 350°F. Butter & flour 2 9" round cake pans with removable bottoms (or use parchment).

Steps:

MAKE CAKE (cont...) Melt butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally until butter turns a nutty golden-brown, ~4 mins. Pour into a small bowl & let stand until cool but not set, ~15 mins. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, & cloves. In a large bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of pumpkin purée with granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, & buttermilk until very well blended. With rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until just combined. Gently whisk in brown butter until completely incorporated. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted in center comes out clean, ~28 mins. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 mins. Turn cakes out onto racks, remove parchment, & cool completely. MAKE TOPPING Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pecans & pepitas & cook until pecans brown slightly & pepitas begin to pop, ~2 mins. Sprinkle in brown sugar & salt & stir until sugar melts & nuts are glazed, ~2 mins. Stir in ginger. Remove from heat & let mixture cool in skillet. MAKE FROSTING Melt butter in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally until butter turns a nutty golden-brown, ~4 mins. Pour into a small bowl & let stand until solids settle at bottom of bowl, ~5 mins. Carefully transfer bowl to freezer & chill until just firm, ~18 mins. Using a spoon, carefully scrape butter from bowl, leaving browned solids at bottom; discard solids. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, cream cheese, & brown sugar on medium-high speed until light in color & brown sugar has dissolved, 2 mins. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar & continue beating until fluffy, 1 to 2 mins. ASSEMBLE CAKE Put 1 cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 1/2 cup of frosting on layer. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of nut mixture over frosting & top with second layer. Frost top & sides of cake with remaining frosting. Arrange remaining topping in a ring on cake.