Browned Butter Cupcakes With Chocolate Buttercream

Sometimes there is a recipe that is so good, I just can't wait to blog about it, because I want to share the joy! These cupcakes are one of those times. 

It is hard to believe that burning butter can result in such a delicious flavor. I wonder who was the first to try it? probably was an accident like most wonderful things. The cupcakes are one of my favorite so far. I think it is the simplicity of the fluffy yellow cake (with a subtle brown butter flavor), and a fudgy chocolate buttercream. Really nothing fancy going on here, just a really good classic cupcake. 

   

I wanted to keep the look simple as well, so instead of piping the frosting I used a small offset spatula. I topped it with chocolate, that I grated by hand.

Browned Butter Cupcakes 

From Whisk Kid

Printable Recipe

1 cup butter

2 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temp

1 cup milk, warmed in the microwave for 20 seconds

1 tsp vanilla

Place the two sticks of butter in a pan with tall sides and melt over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until foaming lessens and dark brown flecks form in the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring until the butter itself has taken on a nice brown hue and smells nutty. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temp. This should result in 3/4 c (177 ml) of browned butter.

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare 2 cupcake tins with liners. Set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat sugar and eggs until thickened, about a minute. Add milk, browned butter, and vanilla, stirring just until combined.

Add half of the dry mixture and beat until just combined. Repeat with the second half.

Divide batter amongst liners and bake for 18-22 minutes, until tops are springy to the touch or a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean.

Cool tins on a rack for 2-3 minutes before carefully removing the cakes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream

Note: If you want to generously frost your cupcakes - double this recipe.

5 oz good quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

1/2 c butter, room temp

2 c powdered sugar

2 Tbls baking cocoa

4-8 Tbls milk

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and allow to cool to room temperature. Beat in the butter until creamy, about a minute. Sift in half of the powdered sugar and all of the baking cocoa, then beat until thickened and mostly combined, adding 2 Tbls of milk to loosen. Add remaining sugar and beat until combined, adding up to 6 Tbls more of milk until desired frosting consistency is reached.

Slowly beat in milk 1TBS at a time until you reach desired consistency.