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Pumpkin Chai Cake With Brown Butter Frosting

Pumpkin chai cake with brown butter frosting featuring warm spiced golden layers and a swirled, fluffy brown-butter finish. This layered American dessert is baked until set and frosted all over for a bakery-style look.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin chai cake
  • 2.5 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder Measure and level.
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp chai spice
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter
  • 1.5 cup brown sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup pumpkin Use pumpkin puree.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 0.25 cup strong chai tea Brewed and cooled.
  • 1 tsp vanilla
For brown butter frosting
  • 1.5 cup unsalted butter Brown and cool until firm, as directed.
  • 4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Brown butter and prep pan
  1. Brown 1-1/2 cups butter on the stovetop until it smells nutty, then pour onto a sheet pan and refrigerate until solid.
  2. Preheat oven to 350F, then grease two 9-inch pans.
Mix and bake the pumpkin chai layers
  1. In a stand mixer, beat butter and brown sugar together until smooth.
  2. Add eggs, pumpkin, sour cream, strong chai tea, and vanilla, then beat until the batter looks cohesive.
  3. In a separate bowl, fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, chai spice, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until no dry streaks remain.
  4. Divide the batter between the two greased 9-inch pans and smooth the tops.
  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F, until the centers spring back lightly and a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool the cakes completely before frosting.
Make frosting and assemble
  1. Beat solidified brown butter with powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, and cinnamon until very fluffy and thick with a pale color.
  2. Frost between the layers and spread frosting all over the top and sides, creating swirls with the back of a spoon.

Notes

Pro tip: let the browned butter chill until fully firm so the frosting creams up into a stable, fluffy texture. Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; bring slices to room temperature for the best spice aroma. Freeze unfrosted layers wrapped well for up to 2 months, then thaw and frost. For a dairy-reduced option, use a 1:1 plant butter and lactose-free sour cream-style substitute in the cake.