Brown butter adds a nutty, caramelized flavor to this moist mile high pound cake. It's paired with a delicious vanilla brown butter glaze.
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted brown butter, room temperature (instructions below)
4 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
10 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/2 cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
1 1/3 cups buttermilk, room temperature
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by fitting a parchment paper square between the two pieces and brushing with pan coat. Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy (about 6 minutes at medium speed). Add extract, salt, and 1/2 cup flour, beat until combined. Add 1 egg and beat in until fully incorporated. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Add 2 cups of flour, beating until it just disappears. Slowly drizzle in half the buttermilk with the mixer running on low. Beat in the rest of the flour, then drizzle in the remaining buttermilk with the mixer running on low. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds. Pour batter into prepared tube pan and gently shake to settle the batter. Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool until the pan is cool enough to handle. To unmold, place it over a metal can and push down to remove the outer piece. Once the tube is cool enough to touch for 4 seconds, lift or turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Brown Butter Glaze
4 cups powdered sugar
4 tbsp brown butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-5 tbsp milk
Beat together powdered sugar, brown butter, vanilla, and 3 tbsp milk. If a thicker icing is desired, add more powdered sugar. If a thinner icing is desired, add milk, one teaspoon at a time.
Brown Butter
2 1/2 cups (5 sticks) unsalted butter
Place the butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Stir constantly until the foaming subsides and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan turn golden brown. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl to cool.