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Desserts · European

Brown Butter Citrus Cake

A tender loaf cake with nutty brown butter, orange zest, and a glossy citrus glaze.

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Medium25 min prep50 min cook75 min total8 servings368 cal / serving
Recipe snapshot

Brown the butter until it smells nutty, not dark. Those last thirty seconds change the entire cake.

4.5Average rating
2Reader reviews
4Cook steps
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What makes it special

A few notes before you start cooking.

Brown butter gives this cake a quietly luxurious flavor, while the orange and lemon keep it bright and light on the palate. It is elegant enough for a brunch table and simple enough to bake on a quiet afternoon.

Editor's note

Brown the butter until it smells nutty, not dark. Those last thirty seconds change the entire cake.

cakebrunchorangebaking
Brown Butter Citrus Cake

Ingredients

Scale the recipe for your table.

2servingsSmart scaled

Ingredients are scaled to 25% from the recommended 8-serving base.

  • 42.5 gunsalted butter
  • 55 gall-purpose flour
  • 45 gcaster sugar
  • 0.75 wholeeggs
  • 0.5 tbsporange and lemon zest

Smart grocery list

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This list follows your serving size and measurement choice, so it stays useful when you scale the recipe.

0 of 5 ingredients checked

Method

Cook step by step.

1

Brown the butter

Cook the butter gently until the milk solids turn amber and the kitchen smells nutty, then cool slightly.

8 min
2

Mix the batter

Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale, then fold in the dry ingredients, zest, and browned butter.

12 min
3

Bake until springy

Transfer to a lined loaf pan and bake until the center springs back and a skewer comes out with moist crumbs.

50 min
4

Glaze while warm

Whisk citrus juice with powdered sugar and spoon it over the warm cake so it sets into a glossy shell.

5 min
Brown Butter Citrus Cake serving suggestion

Serve it well

Pairings, notes, and a quick kitchen summary.

Brown the butter until it smells nutty, not dark. Those last thirty seconds change the entire cake.

  • CourseDesserts
  • CuisineEuropean
  • Keywordscake, brunch, orange, baking
  • Prep / Cook / Total25 min / 50 min / 75 min
  • Calories368 calories per serving

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Hana5 / 5

The crumb is gorgeous and the glaze makes it feel bakery-worthy.

Sam4 / 5

Lovely flavor. I used blood orange and it still turned out beautifully.