Fragrant, nutty brown butter makes this brown butter Texas sheet cake a knockout. A tangy sour cream frosting and toasted nuts are the perfect finishing touch!
I subscribe to the notion that if you have to melt butter for a baking recipe, why not try browning it? And that’s how this brown butter Texas sheet cake came to be. Between the nutty brown butter, the sour cream frosting, and a sprinkling of toasted nuts, this cake moves easily onto my short list of favorites.
Why You’ll Love This Brown Butter Texas Sheet Cake
- Simple to make. One-layer, easily frosted cakes are always a winner with me. The brown butter Texas sheet cake is quick to mix and doesn’t even require a mixer.
- Oh-so-tasty. The brown butter gives the cake a nutty flavor, and instead of the usual Texas sheet cake frosting, I swap in buttercream made with tangy sour cream. It’s rich, fluffy, and divine!
- Moist, tender crumb. While the flavor might be the initial draw, the texture is perfect, too. It’s so soft and moist and really just lovely. (Be sure to try this brown butter cake, too.)
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Cake:
- Unsalted butter – Once the butter has browned, you should have 1 cup of brown butter to use in this brown butter Texas sheet cake recipe.
- All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour for baking.
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar – Learn more: Light Brown Sugar vs Dark Brown Sugar: What’s the Difference?
- Salt
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Water
- Buttermilk – You can buy a bottle or use a homemade buttermilk substitute.
- Vanilla extract – I like to use my vanilla extract recipe.
- Eggs
For the Frosting:
- Unsalted butter – Soften the butter before you get started.
- Confectioners’ sugar – Sift this to keep lumps out of your frosting.
- Sour cream
- Toasted nuts – I used toasted pecans.
How to Make Brown Butter Texas Sheet Cake
- Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. When the butter begins to foam, start stirring occasionally, until brown specks form and the butter smells nutty. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Make the batter. Whisk the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Stir in the brown butter, water, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs.
- Bake. Spread the batter into a greased and floured jellyroll pan. Bake at 350ºF for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until it’s creamy. Slowly beat in the confectioners’ sugar and 6 tablespoons of sour cream.
- Finish. Frost your brown butter Texas sheet cake and sprinkle the toasted nuts over the top.
Tips for Success
- Use a good butter. I’ve found that when making brown butter, it makes a difference to buy a high-quality brand or European variety. These tend to foam less than their less expensive counterparts, making it easier to observe when the butter begins to brown.
- Babysit the butter. When browning the butter, keep a close eye on it. The transformation happens quickly from golden to burnt, so watch for the nutty aroma and brown specks. Straining the butter is optional, but those browned bits add extra flavor!
- Add more sour cream if needed. If the frosting seems too thick, add more sour cream a tablespoon at a time. This will help you achieve a smooth, spreadable texture that’s perfect for covering the entire brown butter Texas sheet cake evenly.
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Because of the sour cream in the frosting, this is a cake that must be refrigerated. Cover it with plastic wrap in the pan (pull the wrap tightly to keep it from settling on the frosting) or transfer smaller portions of leftovers to an airtight container. Brown butter Texas sheet cake will last 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator before it starts to dry out.
- Freezer: You can freeze this cake in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.
More Sheet Cake Recipes
Get the Recipe:
Brown Butter Texas Sheet Cake
Yield
15 to 20 servings
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
50 minutes
A tender crumb and nutty flavor make this brown butter Texas sheet cake a hit. Sour cream frosting and toasted nuts are the perfect finish!
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 & 1/4 cups (283g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 & 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (236ml) water
- 1/2 cup (118ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups (330g) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 6 to 8 tablespoons (85 to 113g) sour cream
- 1 cup toasted nuts, chopped* (optional)
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the butter melts and begins to foam.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until brown specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and the butter has a nutty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool. If desired, strain the butter to remove the browned bits.*
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 15"x 10" jelly-roll pan.
- Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Add the cooled brown butter, water, buttermilk, vanilla, and eggs. Stir until smooth.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
To make the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar and 6 tablespoons of the sour cream. Beat until smooth. Add the remaining sour cream, a tablespoon at a time, if necessary to achieve a spreadable consistency.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cake. If using, sprinkle the nuts over the frosting.
Notes
*Once the butter has been browned, you should have 1 cup of brown butter.
Recipe adapted from Taste of the South.
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16 Comments on “Brown Butter Texas Sheet Cake”
This is one of those post I pinned before I even read it! Just the thought of browned butter and sour cream is enough to convince me to make this cake!
Sounds amazing but you always get my attention at browned butter. I agree if you are going to melt it…might as well improve the flavor! A good one for a larger group. Thanks, Jennifer!
Ooh, looks good. I just made a chocolate Texas sheet cake for a family reunion. My mom doesn’t eat chocolate, I’m definitely going to have to make this next time we’re together!
I literally just started a blog post saying if a recipe calls for melted butter I just brown it.
Great minds! lol
I 100% support this cake, it’s probably the best texas sheet cake I’ve ever seen, delish!
This sounds delicious! We will certainly try it!
Thinking of browning the butter for the frosting too. Do you think it would work with the sour cream? Or would it clash?
You can use brown butter, but the frosting will be more of a thin icing consistency.
I shall be making this first thing in the morning! I love sheet cake!
Great idea! I have never made a cake using brown butter, but I am definitely thinking about it now!
I totally go the brown butter route any time it needs to be melted, too. It’s just too dang good. I bet it makes this cake taste AMAZING — sure looks that way!
Totally agreed! I mean, the browning only requires a few extra minutes for a whole LOT of deliciousness…so why not?! Great cake!
Yep, if you’re melting the butter, might as well brown it! That should be a bumper sticker or something! This looks too good to be true!
I made this yesterday — baked in a 9X13-inch pan for about 35-40 minutes, so it was thicker than the one in the photo. I didn’t follow directions very well (added sugar to the brown butter and it started to solidify) and I was afraid it was ruined but it was very forgiving. I made a frosting with brown butter too — I browned the butter before the butter for the cake and let it chill while I made the cake, so it had a nice fluffy buttercream-like texture. I added vanilla extract and used just enough regular whipping cream, not sour, to make it spreadable. I took it to a party and people raved about it. That toasty caramelized brown butter flavor was very prominent; it didn’t get lost like in some recipes I’ve tried. Except for browning the buter it’s as easy as a mix, and it tasted great, so for me it’s a keeper.
This cake is absolutely delicious, easy too!
I’m glad you liked it, Melissa!
I am a browned butter fanatic…how can you not be? So when I came across this recipe I had to try it. OMG it was devine!!!
But since I’m such a browned butter junkie I switched up the frosting a tad. I browned the butter and added an 8 oz. package of cream cheese…..oh lala. I used just pecans which I toasted and then used browned butter and brown sugar melted together and baked in the oven. I took it to a womens group I go to and it is officially thier favorite cake.
This recipe is for sure going in the HAVE to keep side of my cake recipes.
Thanks so very much for sharing.
That’s so great to hear, Channa! It’s definitely one of my favorites, too.