Brown Butter Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

If you're anything like me, chocolate is the ultimate cake. The more chocolate, the better! I imagine a chocolate cake with chocolate ganache filling, chocolate mousse, chocolate buttercream...add peanut butter to that, and I am in heaven! 

Even though chocolate is my absolute favorite food group, I am always in search of recipes with different flavor profiles. Spice cakes, citrus cakes, caramel cakes...

These brown butter cupcakes were a treasure of a find when looking for a new recipe for a large assorted cupcake order. They were a hit, and I was asked to make them again. For the second time, they were given rave reviews! A great cupcake for the fall months when things turn to caramel and cinnamon spice. In my opinion, a quintessential comfort food. 

For the original recipe from Cupcake Project, click here. She pairs it with a lucuma cream cheese frosting! 

Brown Butter Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream (yield 12-15 cupcakes)

     Cupcake Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour*
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk**

     Brown Sugar Buttercream Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

     Cupcake Instructions

1. Melt butter over medium-heat in a small skillet or saucepan.
2. Heat the butter until it turns brown, about 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on it! You don't want it to burn!
3. Remove butter from heat and cool.
4. Meanwhile, sift or whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
5. In a medium-sized bowl or KitchenAid stand mixer with whip attachment, whip egg whites until light and frothy.
6. Slowly mix sugar into the egg whites.
7. Mix browned butter and vanilla into the egg whites.
8. Alternately mix dry ingredients and milk into the wet mixture, ensuring all ingredients are incorporated after each addition. End with dry ingredients.
9. Fill cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full.
10. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until cupcakes bounce back when lightly touched.

     Brown Sugar Buttercream Instructions

1. In a medium-sized bowl or KitchenAid stand mixer with beater attachment, beat brown sugar and butter until the brown sugar is dissolved. This will take approximately 10 minutes with a KitchenAid. If you're using a handheld beater, allow at least 5 more minutes of mix time.
2. Add confectioner's sugar one cup at a time and mix until each addition is incorporated.
3. Add vanilla and mix.

*Look for Swans Down cake flour in your local supermarket. If you can't get cake flour where you live, you can make your own! Follow the instructions here. I have used this little cheat many times!

**Any percentage milk is fine, however, whole milk adds a richness to your cake you cannot get with skim/fat-free or 1% milk. Most of the time I have 2% at home, so that's what I use! 

Be sure to click below and watch the video so your 

cupcakes turn out AMAZING!

If you have any questions, please comment below! 

Also, check out my E. Claire Cake "Shop" below for an Amazon directory of cake products I use. Amazon usually has the best prices. I will never post any product I have not personally used! The Wilton cupcake pan I posted in my shop I have used for over 10 years! 

*Look for Swans Down cake flour in your local supermarket. If you can't get cake flour where you live, you can make your own! Follow the instructions here. I have used this little cheat many times!

**Any percentage milk is fine, however, whole milk adds a richness to your cake you cannot get with skim/fat-free or 1% milk. Most of the time I have 2% at home, so that's what I use!