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Pumpkin Toffee Crunch Sheet Cake with Brown Butter Frosting

Pumpkin toffee crunch sheet cake with brown butter frosting is a soft, spiced pumpkin cake baked in one 9x13 pan and finished with a nutty brown butter glaze. The frosting turns fluffy and smooth, while toffee bits add crunchy pockets in every slice.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
chill 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

brown butter frosting
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter Melt first, then chill until soft but solid.
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp milk Start with 3 tbsp; add more 1 tsp at a time if needed.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.25 salt Use a pinch for frosting and also in the cake.
cake
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt For the cake.
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.75 cup light brown sugar Packed.
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs Room temperature.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup toffee bits Fold into batter; reserve more for topping.
topping
  • 0.5 cup toffee bits Scatter on top after frosting.
  • 0.25 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 light-colored saucepan

Method
 

Brown the butter frosting
  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling constantly for 5–7 minutes until nutty and brown specks form at the bottom.
  2. Pour the browned butter (specks included) into a bowl and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until soft but solid.
Bake the pumpkin sheet cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch pan.
  2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon in a bowl.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  4. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in 1 cup toffee bits.
  5. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 28–32 minutes at 350°F, until the top springs back and a toothpick comes out clean.
  6. Cool the cake completely in the pan for about 1 hour.
Frost and finish
  1. Beat the chilled brown butter with powdered sugar, 3 tbsp milk, vanilla extract, and salt for 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
  2. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time if the frosting becomes too stiff.
  3. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, then scatter the remaining toffee bits and flaky sea salt on top.
  4. Slice into squares to serve.

Notes

Pro tip: chill the browned butter until it’s soft but not hard so it creams quickly into a fluffy frosting. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze frosted slices for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a dairy-light swap, use a neutral dairy-free milk (like oat) in the frosting and check that the consistency still creams well.