Foolproof Sol Agave Butter Cake Recipe
A golden butter cake sweetened with agave nectar and brown butter, finished with a citrus-agave glaze — tested for the exact bake temperature that keeps agave from scorching.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 335kcal
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 3/4 cup (180ml) agave nectar (light or amber)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 large orange)
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 21/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 11/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Agave Glaze:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) agave nectar
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- Pinch of flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 10–12 cup Bundt pan thoroughly, including every ridge.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids turn golden-brown and smell nutty, about 5–7 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Whisk the agave nectar and sugar into the cooled browned butter. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition, until glossy.
- Whisk in the sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold into the wet batter in two additions, mixing just until no flour streaks remain.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs and the top springs back when pressed gently.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool almost completely, about 45 minutes.
- While the cake cools, whisk the agave nectar, butter, and orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until glossy and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Once the cake is barely warm to the touch, pour the glaze evenly over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Weigh the flour if you have a kitchen scale — a packed measuring cup can add up to 25% extra flour and dry out the crumb.
- Room-temperature eggs and sour cream blend smoothly into the browned butter; cold dairy will cause the butter to seize into small clumps.
- Pour the glaze while the cake is barely warm, not hot — hot cake makes the glaze slide off instead of soaking in.
- Freeze the cake unglazed, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight and glaze fresh before serving.
- Honey substitutes 1:1 for agave, but browns faster — drop the oven temperature to 315°F if you make this swap.
- Dark amber agave gives a more molasses-forward flavor than light agave; either works, but the flavor profile shifts noticeably.
- Store glazed cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days to keep the glaze from drying out.
- If doubling the recipe, bake in two separate Bundt pans rather than one larger pan — the center won't set properly in an oversized pan at this temperature.## More Recipes You'll Love