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Flavorful Brown Butter Apple Cider Pound Cake Recipe with Easy Salted Caramel Glaze

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A rich and tender pound cake featuring nutty brown butter and crisp apple cider, finished with a glossy salted caramel glaze for a perfect balance of sweet and salty.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, browned
  • 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup (180 ml) apple cider
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar (for glaze)
  • ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for glaze)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (for glaze)
  • Sea salt flakes (to finish)

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place 1 cup unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently as it melts, foams, and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma. Once amber with brown flecks, remove from heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool slightly.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  4. In a mixer bowl, beat 1 ½ cups granulated sugar with the browned butter until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
  5. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and ¾ cup apple cider in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry mix. Fold gently after each addition without overmixing.
  6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  7. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then lift out using parchment overhang. Cool completely before glazing.
  8. Make the salted caramel glaze: In the same saucepan, melt ½ cup light brown sugar with ¼ cup heavy cream over medium heat, stirring constantly until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and a pinch of sea salt flakes. Let cool until pourable but not hot.
  9. Drizzle the caramel glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top. Let glaze set before slicing.

Notes

Use a light-colored pan for browning butter to monitor color changes carefully. Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent toughness. Glaze the cake only when completely cool to prevent melting. Tent cake with foil if edges brown too fast. For gluten-free, substitute flour with almond or gluten-free blend. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and coconut cream.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, apple cider, pound cake, salted caramel glaze, fall dessert, easy cake recipe, cozy dessert

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