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Golden brown butter maple pound cake baked in a Bundt pan and covered with thick maple vanilla glaze dripping down the sides, served on a pink plate.
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Brown Butter Maple Pound Cake

Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 791kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Ingredients

Brown Butter Pound Cake

  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, (yes, it’s a lot of butter LOL)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 6 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark/robust
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tsp. maple extract, optional
  • 3 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 2/3 cup whole milk, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature

Maple Brown Butter Soak

  • 3 Tbsp. brown butter
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 Tbsp. water
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Maple Vanilla Glaze

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
  • 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
  • 1-2 Tbsp. heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Pinch nutmeg
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Brown the Butter

  • Click here to read my step-by-step guide of how to brown the butter.
    2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter
  • Immediately pour the brown butter and all of the browned milk solids into a heatproof bowl.
  • Reserve 3 tablespoons of the finished brown butter for the soak.
  • Freeze the remaining brown butter until solidified, about 45 minutes. Start Timer Once solidified, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes (so you’ll now have room temperature brown butter)

Make the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Thoroughly grease a 12-cup Bundt pan. Dip a paper towel into a generous amount of shortening and spread it around the pan, making sure to coat all its nooks and crannies. Lightly dust the greased pan with flour (using a sift works well for this). Tap and rotate the pan to create a thin, even coating of flour across the pan’s interior. Gently tap out any excess flour over the sink.
    Side-by-side photos showing a Bundt pan being greased with shortening using a paper towel, then evenly dusted with flour to prevent sticking.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
    3 3/4 cups cake flour, 1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. baking powder
    Step-by-step photos showing cake flour, kosher salt, and baking powder being combined and whisked together in a glass bowl for brown butter maple pound cake.
  • Add the softened brown butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
    2 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • Cream on medium-high speed for 4-5 minutes, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until noticeably lighter and fluffy. Don't rush this step. Start Timer
    Three-step photo collage showing softened brown butter combined with granulated sugar and dark brown sugar, then creamed together until fluffy for brown butter maple pound cake.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
    6 large eggs
  • Mix in the maple syrup, vanilla, and maple extract (if using)
    1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste, 1 tsp. maple extract
    Overhead view of pure maple syrup being poured into a bowl of creamed brown butter, sugar, and eggs for brown butter maple pound cake.
  • Whisk the milk and sour cream together.
    2/3 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup full-fat sour cream
    Side-by-side photos showing whole milk being poured into sour cream and whisked together until smooth for brown butter maple pound cake batter.
  • With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix only until combined.
    Six-step photo collage showing cake flour and the milk mixture being alternately added to brown butter maple pound cake batter, then mixed until smooth and combined.
  • Finish folding the batter gently by hand with a rubber spatula, making sure there are no pockets of flour at the bottom of the bowl.
  • Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan and tap the cake on the counter a few times.
    Side-by-side photos showing brown butter maple pound cake batter being spooned into a greased and floured Bundt pan, then smoothed into an even layer before baking.
  • Bake for approximately ~60-70 minutes, beginning to check around 60 minutes. Start Timer The cake is finished when a long wooden skewer inserted into the thickest portion comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
    Overhead view of freshly baked brown butter maple pound cake cooling in a Bundt pan, with a golden brown crust and slightly cracked surface.
  • Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Start Timer

Make the Maple Brown Butter Soak

  • While the cake cools, combine the brown butter, maple syrup, water, salt, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low until warm and completely combined.
    3 Tbsp. brown butter, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 1 Tbsp. water, 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
    Three-step photo collage showing maple syrup, brown butter, and vanilla being combined and stirred together to make a maple brown butter soak for pound cake.
  • While the cake is still in the pan, poke holes into the exposed surface with a skewer or toothpick and slowly brush with about 1/3 of the maple mixture over the cake. Take your time with it.
    Three-step photo collage showing freshly baked brown butter maple pound cake being poked with a skewer and brushed with maple brown butter soak while still in the Bundt pan.
  • Carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack.
    Overhead view of a golden brown butter maple pound cake removed from its Bundt pan and resting on a wire cooling rack before being brushed with maple brown butter soak.
  • While the cake is still warm, slowly brush the remaining maple-brown-butter mixture over the top and sides, allowing it to soak into the cake rather than pouring it on all at once. Once again, take your time - you can wait a few minutes in between to allow it all to soak in.
    Overhead view of brown butter maple pound cake being brushed with a rich maple brown butter soak on a wire cooling rack, creating a glossy, golden brown crust.
  • Cool completely.

Make the Glaze

  • Whisk together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg (if using). Glaze should be thick but pourable.
    1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1-2 Tbsp. heavy cream, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, Pinch kosher salt, Pinch nutmeg
    Five-step photo collage showing powdered sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, and nutmeg being whisked together to make a smooth maple vanilla glaze for pound cake.
  • Spoon the glaze over the completely cooled cake and allow it to drip naturally down the sides. Let the glaze set before slicing. YUM!
    Close-up of a homemade Brown Butter Maple Pound Cake with a golden brown crust and thick white maple glaze dripping down the sides of the Bundt cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/12th of cake | Calories: 791kcal | Carbohydrates: 110g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 172mg | Sodium: 551mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 79g | Vitamin A: 1165IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 1mg