Buttery, nutty, and just slightly sweet, this easy to make healthier cake-bread is protein packed and perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert! Top it with nut butter, honey and sea salt for a sweet treat or goat cheese for a savory snack.
Preheat oven to 350° F with rack in center position
Cut the butter into 4 even squares. Place the butter into a small saucepan or frying pan over medium heat, stirring often until melted. Continue stirring butter often over medium heat until white foamy bubbles begin to form. REDUCE heat TO LOW to prevent burning and continue to stir the melted butter, just until it turns golden and gives off the deliciously rich, warm, nutty scent that only brown butter can. This process takes about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a small bowl to stop the cooking. Set aside to let cool for at least 10 minutes.
In medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until everything is evenly combined. Set aside.
In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a medium bowl with handheld electric mixer or whisk) on medium speed, mix together brown butter and coconut sugar until well combined. Add maple syrup and vanilla. Mix on medium until well combined, scraping down sides as needed. Add eggs and mix on medium to medium-high until fully combined. Finally, with mixer on low, slowly add milk to batter, then increase speed to medium and mix until fully combined.
Add paleo flour mixture to batter and mix on medium speed until just combined, scrapping down side of bowl as needed. Over mixing can result in tough cake-bread.
In small bowl, mix together all topping ingredients: buckwheat groats, sunflower seeds, coconut sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Pour batter into oiled or lined loaf pan and spread evenly with spatula. This batter will only fill about 1/4 of the pan. This cake-bread keeps a low profile ;) Sprinkled crunchy seed topping evenly over the batter. Bake in the middle of the center rack for 30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center come out clean. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
Store this cake-bread tightly covered or in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
This brown Butter Crunch Cake-Bread is grand solo, but also loves toppings, both savory and sweet. Try a smear of nut butter, drizzle of honey and sprinkle of sea salt or top with goat cheese and raisins. If you want to spread some homemade jam on their and add a few chocolate chips or sprinkles, I'm not judging.