Burnt Butter Cake – Beurre Noisette Cake

I had high hopes for this cake. It’s rich, buttery, and definitely not something you’d make every week — more of a one-off dessert than an everyday bake. It felt like a bit of a treat when I cut that first slice, and I even imagined enjoying it quietly in the garden with a cuppa or a cheeky glass of bubbles.

But while it looked the part, I’ve got to say, it fell a bit flat on flavour. It did have that rich, buttery taste I was expecting — but that was about it. No fruit, no zing, nothing to lift it. A lovely idea on paper, but not one I’d go back to.

Tips & Tricks

One tip —don’t forget to turn the cake halfway through baking. If you skip that step, it might come out with a bit of a lean (speaking from experience!).

My Take on The Recipe

I found this recipe years ago in an old newspaper cutting and tucked it away because it really took my fancy. I finally got around to making it, and yes — it was every bit as rich and indulgent as I’d imagined. But to be honest, I don’t think I’d make it again. It calls for a whopping 450g of butter, and while it certainly tasted buttery, there wasn’t much else going on flavour-wise. At our age, we’re not about to tuck into something that heavy, and I reckon even the birds would’ve struggled to take flight after a slice! With the price of butter these days, I’d rather save it for bakes that really make it count — and that aren’t quite so over the top.

Recipe

To print the recipe, simply click the ‘Print’ button below and save your PDF for easy reference!

🍰🧈🌰🥚🍳❤️🍳🥚🌰🧈🍰

Beurre Noisette Cake

• Servings: Serves 10–12
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins
• Difficulty: medium
• Rating: ★★★★★
• Print

A buttery, nutty cake made with brown butter for rich flavour and a golden crumb.

💡 Tip: Turn the cake halfway through baking to avoid it rising unevenly – it can end up with a bit of a lean!
𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁: An old newspaper cutting tucked it away in the back of an old clear ring binder.

Ingredients

For the beurre noisette:

• 450g unsalted butter
• 5 Tbsp milk powder

For the cake:

• 340g beurre noisette (prepared above)
• 2 whole eggs
• 14 egg yolks
• 320g sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 110g cornflour
• 15g baking powder
• 1 Tbsp salt

Directions

1. 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝘁 the butter in a saucepan, add milk powder and cook over medium heat, whisking, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty.
2. 𝗣𝗼𝘂𝗿 into a bowl over an ice bath to cool quickly. Set aside.
3. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 oven to 180°C and line a medium cake tin.
4. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 the cooled noisette and sugar together until pale and fluffy using a mixer.
5. 𝗔𝗱𝗱 egg yolks slowly while beating continuously.
6. 𝗦𝗶𝗳𝘁 together dry ingredients and mix in until just combined.
7. 𝗣𝗼𝘂𝗿 into the cake tin, smooth the top and bake for 25 minutes.
8. 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 the tin, reduce oven to 150°C, and bake until cooked through.
9. 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 completely before dusting with icing sugar.

Nutrition

Per Serving: 300 calories; 20 g fat; 15 g sugar; 5 g protein.

Don’t lose it — Pin it! Save this recipe to Pinterest or share it with a friend so you can find it again. ♡ Janet