30-Minute Best Butter Cake
Classic two-layer butter cake with creamy frosting made from browned butter. Soft crumb from alternating dry ingredients with milk, topped with powdered sugar frosting that's spread between layers and over the entire cake.
Ingredients
- ⅝ cup butter, softened
- ⅝ cup sugar, granulated
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flourcake flour1:1fine
lighter crumb
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk, whole
- ¼ cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 to 4 tablespoons, milk
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two round cake pans.
- 2
Beat softened butter and sugar at medium speed until creamy, scraping bowl often.
- 3
Add eggs and vanilla, continue beating until well mixed.
- 4
Add flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed.
- 5
Divide batter between prepared pans.
- 6
Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- 7
Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely.
- 8
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat 4 to 5 minutes until lightly browned.
- 9
Transfer browned butter to a bowl, add powdered sugar and vanilla, beat at medium speed while gradually adding milk to reach desired spreading consistency.
- 10
Spread frosting between cooled cake layers and over top and sides.
Tips
Scrape bowl frequently while beating for even mixing.
Cool cake completely before frosting to prevent frosting from melting.
Watch butter carefully while browning to avoid burning; it should be light golden.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Frosting may soften at room temperature.
Bake cake layers up to 1 day ahead and store in airtight container. Prepare frosting day of serving.
Slice with a serrated knife, wiping between cuts for clean edges.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip cooling cake completely to avoid frosting melting off.
Do not beat flour vigorously after adding to avoid developing gluten and toughening cake.
Do not brown butter over high heat to avoid burning and bitter flavor.