This cinnamon bun naked cake with brown butter frosting is scented with cardamom, giving it a lovely spice scent. It has a cream cheese drizzle on top of brown butter frosting, which is very cinnamon bun inspired. I love this cake!
how to make a cinnamon bun inspired layer cake
Part 1 - making the cake layers
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line and grease two 6 inch cake pans. “Dust” the sides and bottom of the pans with granulated sugar.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture. Add the sour cream and milk and stir until batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. drop from about 2inches onto the counter to get the air bubbles out. smooth out the tops.
- Bake cakes on the lower rack for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap with plastic wrap and stick in the freezer.
- While the cakes are baking, brown the butter. Place unsalted butter in a small saucepan on medium heat and stir until it melts completely. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5-10 minuter longer. Scrape the melted butter and browned bits into a small bowl and chill.
Part 2 - decorating and frosting the cake
- remove the cakes from the freezer. unwrap, and use a bread knife to level off the tops.
- make the frosting: beat the butter until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, powdered sugar and salt and beat until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add milk and beat until frosting is smooth. transfer into a pastry bag.
- make the cream cheese drizzle: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk to desired consistency.
- assemble and frost cake: put the 6 inch cardboard circle down on a turntable. put a small dollop of frosting down on the middle to glue the bottom layer on. squeeze about ⅓ of the frosting on top of the bottom layer, smooth out. put the second layer bottom side up, and squeeze ⅓ of the frosting on the sides and top, smooth out. using a bench scraper, smooth out the sides and top to desired naked-ness. Pour or spoon the cream cheese drizzle over the top, creating a drip effect on the sides if you want. Dust with cinnamon.
pro tips for baking cakes
If you're seeing cakes on Instagram that are really evenly baked with firm sides and consistent height, it's because they used nice cake pans that ensure an even bake. After mixing the batter as prescribed, I use these 6-inch layer cake pans and also swear by Wilton cake nonstick spray. It totally eliminates the need for parchment liners.
this is adapted from cake queen linda lomelino !
📖 Recipe
Cinnamon bun naked cake with brown butter frosting
A two layer, six-inch cake inspired by cinnamon buns. yum!
Ingredients
cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 stick softened butter
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup cup milk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
brown butter frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
cream cheese drizzle
- 1 packet cold cream cheese
- ½ powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp. milk
Instructions
DAY 1
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line and grease two 6 inch cake pans. “Dust” the sides and bottom of the pans with granulated sugar.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the butter and egg mixture. Add the sour cream and milk and stir until batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. drop from about 2inches onto the counter to get the air bubbles out. smooth out the tops.
- Bake cakes on the lower rack for about 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then invert cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. Wrap with plastic wrap and stick in the freezer.
- While the cakes are baking, brown the butter. Place unsalted butter in a small saucepan on medium heat and stir until it melts completely. Continue cooking, stirring frequently until the milk solids turn brown and the butter smells nutty, about 5-10 minuter longer. Scrape the melted butter and browned bits into a small bowl and chill.
DAY 2
- remove the cakes from the freezer. unwrap, and use a bread knife to level off the tops.
- make the frosting: beat the butter until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon, powdered sugar and salt and beat until completely smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add milk and beat until frosting is smooth. transfer into a pastry bag.
- make the cream cheese drizzle: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk to desired consistency.
- assemble and frost cake: put the 6 inch cardboard circle down on a turntable. put a small dollop of frosting down on the middle to glue the bottom layer on. squeeze about ⅓ of the frosting on top of the bottom layer, smooth out. put the second layer bottom side up, and squeeze ⅓ of the frosting on the sides and top, smooth out. using a bench scraper, smooth out the sides and top to desired naked-ness. Pour or spoon the cream cheese drizzle over the top, creating a drip effect on the sides if you want. Dust with cinnamon.
Notes
Cook time doesn't take into account the time needed to chill the cake layers.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!