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+ servings
slices of chocolate chip pumpkin cake on parchment paper.
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5 from 23 votes

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cake

Chocolate chip pumpkin cake- moist pumpkin cake bursting with warm fall spices, fresh pumpkin puree, brown butter, and mini chocolate chips! Make this easy one-bowl cake recipe for pumpkin season; it turns out perfect every time!

Ingredients

  • 9 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar or light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 15 oz Libby’s Pumpkin Puree room temperature
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour *see notes below for measuring!*
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips for the top of the batter

Instructions

  • Line a metal 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper (or butter the bottom and sides) and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C.
  • Cook the butter in a stainless steel pan over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until browned. You’ll know it’s done when the top of the pan is covered in foam and there are brown bits of butter solid at the bottom of the pan. Pour the butter into your mixing bowl and set it aside to cool to room temperature.
  • Whisk the oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into the brown butter until well combined.
  • Whisk in the vanilla, eggs, and pumpkin.
  • Whisk in the flour, pumpkin spice, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and mini chocolate chips.
  • Pour the pumpkin cake batter into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle more mini chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in a few moist crumbs. Let it cool completely on a wire rack then cut into slices and enjoy!
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container or in the baking pan wrapped tightly in plastic wrap for 4-5 days. You can also keep it in the fridge and it will stay fresh longer. To freeze, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month.

Video

Notes

*Measure your flour properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Use a metal baking pan. Glass or ceramic pans retain heat differently and will require a different baking temperature and time. 
Use Libby's pumpkin puree. Libby's Pumpkin is the best quality and most consistent pumpkin puree you can buy. I don't recommend substituting it!
Use mini chocolate chips. Regular-sized chocolate chips have a tendency to sink into the cake. You can also use chopped chocolate if you're out of mini chocolate chips!
Want to skip browning the butter? Reduce the butter to 8 tablespoons or 113 grams and melt it before adding it to the batter.