Can you substitute browned butter for regular butter (both melted) in a baking recipe?

I love the flavor of browned butter, and want to use it in a banana bread recipe that calls for regular melted butter. Would that change the chemistry of the batter?

Jan
  • Posted by: Jan
  • April 15, 2014
  • 17026 views
  • 5 Comments

5 Comments

Jan April 18, 2014
I used browned butter in the America's Test Kitchen Ultimate Banana Bread recipe, which calls for regular melted butter. I don't think I could detect the nuttiness I was hoping to taste, but I didn't have the regular melted butter version to compare. It was still delicious, and I still love browned butter!
 
Jan April 15, 2014
Thanks for the answers! Regine, I was talking about browned butter, not brown sugar, but thanks for taking the time to answer anyway! I really appreciate it :) I will report back after I test it out this weekend!
 
Regine April 15, 2014
It all depends on the type of cake you are making since I believe that brown sugar has more "moisture" than regular sugar. However, for a banana bread, you should be more than OK. But for other cakes where the "lightness" matters, you want to stick with regular sugar if this is what the recipe asks for. For example, a genoise cake or chiffon cake, or even a pound cake, will have a bit of slightly more heavy structure, if you use brown sugar in lieu of regular sugar. This is what I think.
 
bakewithamy April 15, 2014
yes! it will give a nutty flavor.
you can even brown the butter and then re-chill it if you need the butter to be more solid.
 
mickle April 15, 2014
Will not change chemistry; but will change the flavor; sounds good; post your results.
 
Recommended by Food52