Move over vanilla cupcakes, you have got to try these toasty and nutty browned butter cupcakes with brown butter frosting! Both the cupcakes and buttercream are made with homemade brown butter, making these brown butter cupcakes taste so toasty and cozy. They're made with both oil and brown butter, which keeps the texture super light and fluffy!
My cardamom cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting (wow, that's a mouthful) is one of my most popular recipes, and for good reason! The toasty, nutty brown butter brings so much flavor and depth to the cake. So, naturally, I had to make some browned butter cupcakes!
When testing the recipe, I knew I wanted to use my tried-and-true vanilla cupcake as a base. It's extra soft and moist thanks to a combination of both butter and neutral oil. So we get that buttery taste from (you guessed it!) the butter, but moisture and softness from the oil.
To make these brown butter cupcakes even more brown butter-y, I added a brown butter American buttercream on top! Since we're already browning butter for the cupcakes, we can brown the butter for the frosting at the same time.
Extra Moist Thanks to Sour Cream + Oil
I've got a few tricks up my sleeve so we get super soft, moist, and fluffy browned butter cupcakes!
I tend to add sour cream to my cupcake recipes, which is always a home run when it comes to moist cupcakes. To amp this up even more, I swap out some of the butter for a neutral oil (think vegetable oil or sunflower oil). So we still get that delish buttery taste, but it's still extra soft thanks to the oil.
Brown Butter First!
You'll need the brown butter to firm up before using it for both the cupcakes and frosting. I recommend browning the butter a few hours ahead of time, but you can even do it the day before!
Just place the brown butter in the fridge overnight, then let it come to room temperature.
Dividing Up Brown Butter
When making this recipe, you'll want to brown the butter for both the buttercream and the cupcakes at the same time (time-saving + less dishes, you're welcome!)
Once the butter is browned, you'll need to weigh out exactly how much brown butter you need for each component (so 45 grams of butter for the cupcakes, 180 grams for the frosting!). When browning butter, some of the liquid is evaporating, so you'll have less butter than when you started! Because we're losing some of the moisture, I add some extra milk to both the cupcakes and the frosting to make up for it.
When you divide the butter between bowls, scrape the brown bits into both. That's the toasted milk solids - the good stuff, liquid gold that will give so much nutty, toasty flavor!
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Ella
Recipe
Brown Butter Cupcakes
Ingredients
Brown Butter Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams ) cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ stick (56 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 grams) neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup + 2 ½ teaspoons (124 grams) whole milk
- ¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream room temperature
Browned Butter Frosting
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar
- ¼- ½ cup whole milk
Instructions
Brown Butter
- Below is the amount of butter you would need to brown if you're making both the frosting and the cupcakes.
- In a large saucepan, place 2 ½ sticks of butter over medium-low heat.½ stick (56 grams) unsalted butter , 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter
- Stir with a rubber spatula as the butter begins to melt. The butter will begin to foam on top and sizzle. After 5-7 minutes, you'll start to see milk solids at the bottom of the pan. When you stir and the foam moves, you'll be able to see those milk solids.
- The milk solids at the bottom should turn golden brown and the butter should smell nutty and toasted.
- You should have 225 grams of brown butter now. Measure out 45 grams (3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) separately, making sure you keep some of the brown bits, and place in a bowl. Pour the remaining brown butter in another bowl. The 45 grams is for your cupcakes. Let cool briefly, then place in the fridge to firm up for about 2 hours.
- About an hour before you start baking the cupcakes, remove both bowls from the fridge. For both the cupcakes and frosting, you want the browned butter to be softened (like you usually would use for baking!)
Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius. Place 14 cupcake liners in 2 cupcake pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.1 ½ cups (180 grams ) cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, combine the 45 grams of browned butter, oil and sugar for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until light and fluffy.¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar, ¼ cup (50 grams) neutral oil
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix to combine.2 large eggs , 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Mix in the sour cream.¼ cup (56 grams) sour cream
- Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just combine, then slowly pour in the milk.½ cup + 2 ½ teaspoons (124 grams) whole milk
- Using a spoon or a medium cookie scoop, scoop out the cupcake batter into the liners. You want them to be about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and letting them cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
Frosting
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand held mixer, combine the room temperature browned butter with the confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla bean paste on low speed.1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 4 cups (480 grams) confectioners' sugar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add in the milk and beat on medium speed until spreadable. You might not need all of it! I start with ¼ cup and go from there.¼- ½ cup whole milk
- Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!
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