Ultra Soft Brown Butter Orange & Cinnamon Layer Cake

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This ultra soft brown butter orange & cinnamon layer cake is sandwiched with layers of fluffy honey vanilla buttercream and garnished with dried orange slices. It is a unique twist of nutty rich browned butter flavor, orange zest and honey in a cake. You will be eating several slices of this cake with your morning coffee or enjoying it as a dessert with ice cream. It’s extremely light, super flavorful, and sure to impress!

Brown butter orange & cinnamon layer cake garnished with dried orange slices

Ingredients you’ll need to make this cake:

Unsalted butter: It is very important to have your butter at room temperature. You can ensure this by lightly pressing your finger on the block of butter. It should slightly leave an imprint. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds more softness and moisture to your cake along with also helping the cake to hold its shape and structure.
Eggs: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of your cake and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your cake batter. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
Vanilla: You must use a high quality pure vanilla extract in your recipes. This helps to add a rich flavor to your baked goods. Pure vanilla extracts are typically dark brown in color. This enhances the flavor of all ingredients and you should never leave this out.
Orange zest: Citrus zests are known to add more flavor and fragrance to your bakes. You must not leave them out.
Orange juice: In my experience, homemade orange juice gives an incredibly better flavor than store bought orange juice. I highly recommend that you put in those few extra minutes and use homemade orange juice for a rich, preservatives-free flavor.
All-purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
Cinnamon: I always love adding lots of spices to my bakes. But if this is not something that you prefer, you can always leave it out.
Milk: You will need whole (full-fat) milk or buttermilk. Any other milk has a lower fat content and higher water content which will not give the best results.
Powdered Sugar: This will help add sweetness and stability to your frosting. Add only a few spoons at a time and beat until completely incorporated. Don’t use granulated sugar as it will not dissolve in your frosting as powdered or confectioners’ sugar will.
Honey: Along with adding sweetness, it easily incorporates in your buttercream unlike powdered sugar. It also gives an elevated flavor when combined with orange and vanilla.

Dry & wet ingredients mixed for orange cinnamon cake

First cake frosted with honey vanilla buttercream

Some Notes:

How to avoid dome shaped cakes?

Whether you’re making a layer cake or a single layer cake, flat tops are always desirable. The reason why cakes dome that your cake pan heats up much faster than the rest of the cake causing the edges to set before the cake has risen fully, and as the rest of the cake cooks the centre rises and creates a dome. To avoid this from happening you want to protect the edges of your cake pan. To do this, you can wrap cake strips, foil, or a damp cloth around the edges of your cake pan. Be careful with the damp cloth as it might start burning after it completely dries out. This trick will ensure you get flat tops always!

How to make brown butter?

You can brown your butter a day in advance. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir frequently and watch closely for the formation of brown specs on the bottom of the pan. It will also give off a nutty aroma. Once you see brown specs, stir for just a few more seconds as it browns very fast at this point. Remove the saucepan from heat immediately & pour the browned butter into a different bowl to prevent it from burning. Let the butter cool slightly, around 5-10 minutes before using it in the cake.

How to make dried oranges?

This is totally optional and you’ll need them only for garnishing. Cut your orange into thin slices and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 200ºF (93ºC) and bake these thinly sliced oranges for around 2-3 hours or until they are completely dry. Make sure to keep checking on them frequently towards the end so that they don’t burn. Dried orange slices are also great to use as potpourri or can be strung together for a holiday garland!

Brown butter orange & cinnamon layer cake with one slice cut

Other Cakes & Spring recipes you’ll love:

Three slices of a three layer orange cake

Some other tips to make this recipe:

You can use any kind of oranges to make this cake. However I recommend using homemade & fresh orange juice instead of store-bought. It gives a more natural, sugar-free and preservative-free flavor which is delicious.
If your frosting is beginning to melt, let it chill in the refrigerator for around 15 minutes before continuing. You must also chill your cake for 30 minutes after frosting in between layers and before coating it, however it is not mandatory to do so.
I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer and a kitchen scale. Baking at accurate temperatures and weighing your ingredients correctly ensure that you can replicate the recipes perfectly and enjoy the best flavors.

Happy Baking!

Ultra Soft Brown Butter Orange & Cinnamon Layer Cake

Ingredients you’ll need to make this cake:

Some Notes:

Other Cakes & Spring recipes you’ll love:

Some other tips to make this recipe: