Brown Butter Cupcakes
Take basic vanilla cupcakes to the next level with these moist, soft Brown Butter Cupcakes.
Servings: 24
Ingredients
For the Brown Butter Cupcakes
- 10 tablespoon unsalted butter cubed
- 2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tea baking powder
- ½ tea kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
- 2 tea vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup sour cream
For the Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted as needed
- 2 to 4 tablespoon heavy cream
- 2 tea vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
For the Brown Butter Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan and melt over high heat. Once the butter begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Stirring every so often to keep the milk solids from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan, continue to cook the butter until it turns an amber-colored brown and the milk solids have darkened. This will take 5 to 8 minutes. It is done when the brown butter smells nutty and toasty. Pour the brown butter into a heat-safe container. Place the butter in the refrigerator to cool as you continue with the recipe.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until they double in volume and are pale in color. When done, the batter should flow like thick ribbons. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Add the brown butter, oil and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
- Pour in the milk and sour cream. Mix until smooth.
- Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Fold the batter together with a large spatula until smooth.
- Line two muffin tins with cupcake liners. Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to evenly distribute the batter. Fill the liners about ⅔ of the way full.
- Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into their centers comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack before topping with frosting.
To Make the Whipped Buttercream Frosting
- Using a stand (or hand) mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, 1 minute.
- Turn the mixer off and add the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of cream, vanilla, and salt. Begin mixing on low speed until the ingredients come together - scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Turn up the speed and mix at medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until the buttercream is light, airy, and nearly white. If needed, add the additional cream until desired consistency is achieved. The buttercream should spread smoothly without tearing the crumb of the cake but thick enough that it holds shape when piped and spread between the layers.
- If using to ice a smooth cake, vigorously stir with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula to knock out some of the air bubbles.
- To decorate, fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe swirls on top of the cupcakes. Finish with gold sprinkles or as desired.