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4.60 from 10 ratings

Brown Sugar Latte Cake

Yield: 16 slices
Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook: 28 minutes
Total: 1 hour 58 minutes
This perfect brown sugar latte cake is an extra soft and moist brown butter, brown sugar cake soaked with sweet, milky espresso and frosted with delectable espresso cream cheese frosting. It’s incredibly soft, full of sweet brown sugar espresso flavor, with the most irresistible texture from the latte soak, almost like a tres leches, but not quite as wet. It's the perfect cake for coffee lovers!
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Ingredients

For the Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cake

  • 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter
  • 2 1/4 cups (282 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/3 cups (294 g) light brown sugar, packed 
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Brown Sugar Latte Soak

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) espresso or strong coffee
  • 2 tbsp (28 g) light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) half & half or whole milk
  • 1/3 cup (100 g/ 80 ml) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla

For the Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • 2 tsp instant espresso powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp molasses , (optional, adds brown sugar flavor)
  • 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
  • chocolate covered espresso beans, chopped

Instructions
 

For the Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cake

  • Start by browning the butter. Add the butter to a medium pot and heat it over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and come to a simmer. Simmer until the butter is foamy, giving off a nutty aroma and has turned a deep golden brown. The whole process should take about 8-10 minutes.
    3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter
  • Transfer the browned butter to a large bowl, then pop it in the fridge and allow it to cool completely until it is solid but still malleable. While it's cooling in the fridge, stir it with a rubber spatula every 10 minutes to make sure it cools evenly.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175 ℃). Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
    2 1/4 cups (282 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
  • Whip the cooled brown butter with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and fluffy. (If using a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment.)
  • Add the brown sugar to the whipped brown butter. Cream together for 2 minutes on high speed.
    1 1/3 cups (294 g) light brown sugar, packed 
  • Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
    3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tbsp vanilla
  • Add in the buttermilk and dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until all is combined and the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. 
    1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake for 38-42 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then pull up on the parchment paper to release it from the pan. Let the cake continue cooling on the cooling rack until completely cooled.

For the Brown Sugar Latte Soak

  • While the cake cools, make the latte milk soak. Add the espresso and brown sugar to a liquid measuring cup or something easily poured from. Whisk together until the brown sugar is dissolved.
    1/4 cup (60 ml) espresso or strong coffee, 2 tbsp (28 g) light brown sugar
  • Then add in the half & half/milk, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. Whisk until combined. Let the latte mixture chill in the fridge until ready to use.
    1/3 cup (80 ml) half & half or whole milk, 1/3 cup (100 g/ 80 ml) sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla

For the Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting

  • While the cake cools, make the cream cheese frosting by adding the butter to a large bowl. Whip the butter on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, 5-10 minutes.
    1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • Then add in the cold cream cheese and mix on medium speed until combined and fluffy.
    8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • Dissolve the instant espresso powder into the vanilla extract in a small ramekin. Then add it in, along with the molasses and powdered sugar.
    Mix on medium-low speed until combined, then on high speed until light and fluffy.
    2 tsp instant espresso powder, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 1/2 tsp molasses , 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar

Assembling the Cake

  • When the cake is completely cooled, cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake using a sharp knife. This will make it easier for the latte mixture to absorb into the cake. Transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes on the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.
    (I used the handle of a honey dipper for smaller holes.)
  • Slowly pour the latte mixture on top of the cake. It is thin so it should absorb into the cake and the poked holes easily, but do be patient as it does.
  • Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of espresso cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula. Sprinkle chopped chocolate covered espresso beans on top of the frosting, then cut into 16 slices and serve!
    chocolate covered espresso beans, chopped
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brown butter, brown butter cake, brown sugar, brown sugar latte cake, cake, latte cake
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