I’ve been enjoying experimenting a bit with different buttercream flowers on my cakes lately and it’s been so fun! I made a “painted” rose cake last week where I mostly used a palette knife to create petals and it gave an interesting three dimensional effect to the surface but this time I wanted to try and make some buttercream orchids.
What is Browned butter?
Basically it’s butter that you’ve cooked! In the process all the milk solids in the butter become caramelized and impart a nutty depth of flavor that can only be described as intoxicating.
To make it add butter to a small pot and cook on low heat stirring occasionally. That’s it! Transfer to a bowl once it’s browned to a nice golden color.
If you haven’t browned butter before you’ve got to try! Cooking it adds a depth of flavor, intensified nuttiness and this incredible aroma. Browned butter enhances both sweet and savory dishes, you’re going to be hooked!
How do You Make Italian Meringue Buttercream??
Watch the video above to see ALL the steps to make creamy, dreamy Italian meringue buttercream!
About the Decorating
First of all, you don’t have to pipe buttercream orchids and all that, just stop at the crumb coat and get to eating, it’s just delicious and I love seeing all the flecks from the vanilla beans and caramelized butter bits.
If you are piping the flowers I recommend storing them in the fridge or freezer while you get everything together so they can be handled without crushing them.
If you find cake decorating to be a bit intimidating then check out my How to Decorate a Cake post, it has lots of helpful tips and a full how to video.
Can you see all the browned butter and vanilla bean flecks in the buttercream and cake??? Also I gotta say, love the color scheme and especially the green and brown I got by using match cocoa powder for the buds and stem.
Some Tips and Pointers
- I should mention that I ordered two piping tips for this cake that made a huge difference, they’re shaped like curved tear drops and are a total game-changer, 120 and 127. You can use there to make many different types of petals and I highly recommend them.
- If you’re not using 6-inch pans, double the recipe for 8-inch pans or triple the recipe for 9-inch pans.
- If you see little clumps of butter after you mix the wet ingredients don’t panic, it all works out by the time you mix in the dry ingredients. You can even use melted butter and warm the milk and sour cream up a bit if you like.
- You can substitute whole milk yogurt for the sour cream if desired, I do it all the time and can’t really tell the difference.
- To get FLAT layers that are moist inside and out try using cake strips! You can buy a set on the shop page or make your own from foil and paper towels at home. I made a whole blog post on it so check it out if you’re interested!
Steps to Make This Cake
- Preheat the oven to 345F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use damp cake strips on my pans for even baking. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir. Cook until the butter has browned and turns into a golden color. Pour the butter into a bowl and transfer to the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Keep an eye on the consistency while it’s in the fridge and stir frequently. Take it out when it congeals. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including sugar.
- Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined. Divide the mixture evenly into the buttered cake pans. Add damp baking strips. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch. Let the layers cool in the cake pans for about 4 min, then dump them out onto a wire cooling rack.
- In a medium saucepan add the remaining sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F. Beat the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Drizzle the sugar into the mixer immediately. Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid. Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature browned butter into the running mixer one tablespoon at a time. Add the vanilla. Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency. Transfer to a piping bag. For the plain Italian buttercream, repeat the same steps but with regular, room temperate butter instead of brown butter.
- Pipe the brown butter Italian meringue between each layer. Pipe a crumb coat and smooth with a bench scraper and offset spatula.
- Pipe an outer layer of white Italian meringue buttercream. Smooth with a clean bench scraper and offset spatula. Sketch out the leaves.
- Cut square pieces of parchment paper. Use gel food coloring to dye the buttercream soft shades of pink, yellow and green. Transfer the pink to piping bags fitted with a 120 tip, 127 tip and a 401 tip.
- For the smaller orchids, use the 127 tip to make a small base on the parchment paper and piping nail. Pipe 2 large semi circular flat petals using the 127 tip with the thick side facing inward. Use the 401 tip to create 2 hooded petals in the center.
- For the larger orchids, repeat the same process as above using the 120 tip for the base. You can pipe some yellow in the center using a small round tip. Add little details with dark coloring. Chill until ready to serve.
- For the stems, microwave candy melts. Add matcha and cocoa powder until you get a desired color. Freehand pipe the orchid stems. Double over the candy melt to make them a bit stronger. Let them cool and carefully remove.
- Use a palette knife to paint on the darker green Italian meringue buttercream. Add the largest stem.
- Pipe a dollop of buttercream as glue for the orchids. Add flowers along the stems.
If you’ve tried this cake then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Brown Butter Cake
An intoxicating brown butter vanilla cake that's covered in hand piped Italian meringue buttercream orchids!
Print Recipe
Servings 10
Calories 260kcal
Video
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS
For the Cake:
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 213g
- 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar 303g
- 1/4 tsp baking soda heaping
- 1 tsp baking powder heaping
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup brown butter 170g, unsalted, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream 120ml, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk 120ml, room temperature or warm
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract nice
- 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream and Brown Butter Italian Buttercream:
- 8 large egg whites room temperature
- 2 2/3 cups sugar 550g, divided
- 2 pinches kosher salt
- 2 cups browned butter 454g unsalted room temperature
- 2 cups butter 454g, unsalted room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
- 2/3 cup water 160ml
For the Stems:
- parchment paper
- ½ cup candy melts 84g
- 1 tbsp matcha powder
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 345 degrees F. Butter and flour three 6-inch pans. I use damp cake strips on my pans for even baking.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and stir. Cook until the butter has browned and turns into a golden color. Pour the butter into a bowl and transfer to the fridge to bring it to room temperature. Keep an eye on the consistency while it’s in the fridge and stir frequently. Take it out when it congeals.
- Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, including sugar.
- Beat the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix until just combined.
- Divide the mixture evenly into the buttered cake pans. Add damp baking strips.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch.
- Let the layers cool in the cake pans for about 4 min, then dump them out onto a wire cooling rack.
For the Brown Butter Italian Buttercream:
- In a medium saucepan add 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.
- Beat 4 room temperature egg whites, a pinch salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
- When the temperature reads 235-240F, drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixer immediately.
- Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid.
- Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature brown butter into running mixer one tablespoon at a time.
- Add 1 tsp vanilla.
- Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
- Transfer to a piping bag.
For the Italian Meringue Buttercream:
- In a medium saucepan add 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water then place on medium-low heat. Stir until sugar melts and becomes clear. Maintain at medium-high heat until temperature reads 235-240F.
- Beat 4 room temperature egg whites, a pinch salt and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. Slowly add in 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
- When the temperature reads 235-240F, drizzle the sugar mixture into the mixer immediately.
- Run mixer until meringue is cool/tepid.
- Switch to a paddle attachment. Add room temperature butter into the running mixer one tablespoon at a time.
- Add 1 tsp vanilla.
- Beat until butter is combined and mixture has reached a silky consistency.
- Save about 1.5 cups for the orchid flowers.
- Transfer the rest to a piping bag and snip off the tip.
For the Orchids:
- Cut square pieces of parchment paper. Use gel food coloring to dye the buttercream soft shades of pink, yellow and green.
- Transfer the pink to piping bags fitted with a 120 tip, 127 tip and a 401 tip.
- For the smaller orchids, use the 127 tip to make a small base on the parchment paper and piping nail. Pipe 2 large semi circular flat petals using the 127 tip with the thick side facing inward. Use the 401 tip to create 2 hooded petals in the center.
- For the larger orchids, repeat the same process as above using the 120 tip for the base.
- You can pipe some yellow in the center using a small round tip. Add little details with dark coloring.
- Chill until ready to serve.
For the Stems:
- Microwave candy melts.
- Add matcha and cocoa powder until you get a desired color.
- Freehand pipe the orchid stems. Double over the candy melt to make them a bit stronger.
- Let them cool and carefully remove.
For the Assembly:
- Pipe the browned butter italian meringue between each layer. Pipe a crumb coat and smooth with a bench scraper and offset spatula.
- Pipe an outer layer of white italian meringue buttercream. Smooth with a clean bench scraper and offset spatula.
- Sketch out the leaves. Use a palette knife to paint on the darker green italian meringue buttercream.
- Add the largest stem.
- Pipe a dollop of buttercream as glue for the orchids. Add flowers along the stems.
Notes
Notes on Decoration
I went all out decorating this cake but I have to say that it would be JUST as delicious with just the brown butter Italian meringue buttercream smeared on. The orchids are delicate and will not stand up well to heat. If you are piping the flowers I recommend storing them in the freezer while you get everything together so they can be handled without crushing them. I used two piping tips for this cake that made a huge difference, they're shaped like curved tear drops and are a total game-changer, 120 and 127. You can use there to make many different types of petals and I highly recommend them.Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 230mg | Sugar: 25g
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Priya says
namstey from India!
can’t wait to try your cakes. I feel so lucky to found your page on Instagram. Your skills are just fabulous. I mean I am not even the appropriate person to say anything about your recipes or decoration skills and all as You are my guru(master).
just a big fan your.keep motivating 🙂
regards
John K. says
Hello Priya,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I’m very glad you enjoy them and find them useful!
Happy baking!
-John
Emily says
Hi this cake looks really good and I am trying to make it for a birthday party this weekend. I am also making another one of your cakes and I want to know how many days in advance can I make this cake? Thanks so much
John K. says
Emily,
You can make the layers and buttercream a few days in advance. I would give the frosting a quick whip and assemble it the day of!
John
Lauretta Carra says
Hi,
This cake is beautiful and sounds delicious! We love brown butter in recipes. My daughter has chosen this for her birthday cake (needed today)! We baked the cakes and she asked me to make the frosting while she is at work. Well, I am very confused as the amounts of ingredients needed for each recipe. The ingredient list is combined for the 2 buttercream recipes. The Brown butter Italian buttercream states to add the remaining sugar with 1/3 cup of water, how much sugar is that? We are making the brown butter Italian buttercream.
John K. says
Lauretta,
Thanks for pointing that out! I updated the buttercreams so that the measurements are more clear! Make sure everything is at room temperature! Hope you enjoy this delicious cake!
John
Dora says
Can I substitute sour cream with anything? I rarely use sour cream in any of my desserts and it’s quite expensive in my area.
John K. says
Dora,
You can substitute with plain yogurt!
John
Samye says
This is hands-down one of the best cakes I’ve ever had!! It was soooo good! The brown butter balanced it out so nicely and added that hint of almost caramel taste! My Italian buttercream turned to liquid after I added the liquid brown butter (probabaly because it’s so hot in Vegas right now!!) but chilling it and adding the solid butter fixed it right up! Thanks for sharing!!!
saltandserenity says
John, you are a true artist. Those flowers are gorgeous, but the brown butter cake has me sold! I adore brown butter in baking. I think I have posted at least 7 recipes using it in baking. Your videos make me think I can create everything you do. I love to see that you weigh your batter. I also do and sometimes my sister rolls her eyes at me!
John K. says
Salt and serenity,
Thank you very much! I’m so happy I could inspire you! My kitchen scale is a life saver!
John
Michele says
Wow! The cake is so beautiful John! You are incredibly talented! I really enjoy your blog and lovely creations.
John K. says
Michele,
Thank you very much! Hope you get to try it!
John
Erin says
Does it usually take the entire batch of buttercream to ice the cake and layers the way you do? BTW your work is amazing!!!
John K. says
Erin,
Thank you very much! It all depends on how much you want to use for the cake and flowers! You may have some left over, but you could always use the extra for cupcakes!
John
Elly says
omg…..that looks SO GOOD!!!! Must try☺
John K. says
Elly,
Thanks so much! You MUST!
John
Elly says
John, I made this cake last night!! So moist and delish…I didn’t have the time to make the Ital. meringue but instead made a simple brown butter buttercream. I def have to try the meringue but only have a hand mixer which I know will work but would be so much easier with a stand mixer. This cake is a keeper and your tutorials are awesome…so thank-you from Montreal:)
Mb says
Gorgeous! Can’t wait to try it.
How long should you let the iced cake set before beginning to apply flowers?
John K. says
Mb,
Chill the cake for about 20-30 minutes or until the outer buttercream is stiff! Hope you enjoy!
John
mb says
Hey John,
The cake is AMAZING! There is nothing equivalent- the brown butter is a game changer.
What can i do if my brown butter buttercream is runny? it pours straight out of the piping bag!!
Suzanne Laprise says
I made this cake and brought it to the office, it was a hit. You need a show on food network because you have the greatest videos with the best instructions and your cake are the best. Love you John ??
Suzanne
Jacksonville FL