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Brown Sugar Cupcakes combine brown sugar and browned butter for an amazing taste and flavor!
Favorite Fall Cupcake
I first made these brown sugar cupcakes years ago for a wedding reception. This was my favorite cupcake that I made for the party! They are flavored with brown sugar and brown butter and topped with toasted pecans.
Ingredients Needed
- All purpose flour. I prefer unbleached flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, at room temperature. If you use salted butter just reduce the salt you add in by half.
- Brown sugar. I use light brown sugar but if you want an even deeper flavor you could use dark.
- Eggs at room temperature
- Buttermilk. Adds flavor and texture. Use at room temperature.
- Pecans. For garnish. You could also use crushed Heath candy bar.
Why You Will Love These Cupcakes!
The flavor is amazing. The combination of brown sugar and brown butter sends these cupcakes off the charts. There is brown butter in the frosting and it may be the best frosting you’ve ever tasted!! I adore the taste and smell of browned butter and think it makes everything better!
How to Make Brown Sugar Cupcakes
- Line standard muffin tins with paper liners
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt
- With the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until pale fluffy
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
- Add dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined.
- Divide batter evenly among lined muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full.
- Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
- Cool on wire racks.
How to Make Brown Butter Frosting
You can find all my brown butter tips here.
The most important thing to remember is that while browning butter don’t leave it unattended. It can go from browned to burnt very quickly. You want it to turn a nice golden brown, nutty color.
- Remove browned butter from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.
- Add confectioners (powdered) sugar, vanilla extract , and 2 tablespoons milk to brown butter; stir until smooth
- Add more milk (up to 2 tablespoons) a little at a time, just until icing is spreadable.
- Frost cupcakes.
How to Frost Brown Sugar Cupcakes
Allow brown sugar cupcakes to cool completely before frosting. You can use a knife to add a layer of frosting to the top of the cupcakes but I like to use a piping bag and tip to pipe the frosting onto my cupcakes. It actually makes frosting quicker, easier and prettier.
Sprinkle the cupcakes with some toasted pecans but you could also used some crushed Heath Bar or toffee pieces. Makes it pretty and delicious!
Cupcake Tips and Tricks
Ingredients. Be sure your ingredients are room temperature and they will combine more smoothly.
Scoop. To make sure my cupcakes are all the same size I always use a scoop and fill the muffin tins 2/3 full. Don’t over fill your cupcakes.
Cooling. Always allow your cupcakes to cool for a few minutes in the muffin tin and then remove them to a cooling rack to finish cooling. The heat from the pan will continue to cook them so don’t leave them in there too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use cupcake liners?
If you don’t want to use liners just be sure to spray your cupcake pan well with non stick cooking spray.
How do I know when the cupcakes are done?
Insert a toothpick into the center and it should come out clean. You can also press gently down onto the surface of the cupcake and it should bounce back when cooked through.
How to store cupcakes?
Brown Sugar Cupcakes will remain fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can also place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
The cupcakes also freeze great. Frost before freezing in an airtight container for up to two months. Bring to room temperature before serving, about an hour.
Other favorite recipes using brown butter:
Be sure and follow me over on YouTube for weekly cooking demos.
Brown Sugar Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups light brown sugar packed
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup pecans rough chopped for garnish
Brown-Butter Icing
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk plus more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Line standard muffin tins with paper liners
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale fluffy
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed
- Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each
- Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full
- Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes
- Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely
- Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers
- To finish, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; spoon icing over cupcakes and let set
- Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve
Brown Butter Icing
- Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes
- Remove from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind
- Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk to brown butter; stir until smooth
- If necessary, add more milk (up to 2 tablespoons) a little at a time, just until icing is spreadable Use immediately
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Facts:
Marti says
It’s been so fun to share your cupcake quest this summer. Now if only there was a way to test taste!
I am a chocolate lover, also citrus is a favorite,and the banana-cream cheese combo sounds yummy. But the one I would REALLY like to taste is the brown sugar cupcake.
I so enjoy butterscotch/caramel candies and this one intrigues me.
I was also interested to note that this was a Martha Stewart recipe as I often browse her cookbooks but rarely try her recipes. I noticed recently on a blog that cooks were saying her recipes often don’t turn out.
I often say that I am the OTHER Martha, but without the prefectionism!
Michelle says
Well, this week we made the banana cupcakes and did them mini. They were delicious. I just wish they didn’t disappear so fast! The frosting is delicious and I think we will be making these again. We will have to try the brown sugar ones for sure! Thanks for sharing. All the pictures of the wedding were amazing!
Cristina says
I really can’t decide, they all look so tasty! Although, I made a my own version of the chocolate cherry and it got rave reviews. (you inspired it, but I didn’t use a recipe, I rarely do.) I just put some cherry cordial Hershey’s kisses in my kitchen Aid bowl, with the flat beater, and chopped them with it, then threw in a devil food cake mix. Then, for icing, I made a cherry compote and tossed it in the food processor for a minute and made a cream cheese frosting with the compote mixed in! YUM!!!!
I have to say I’m a sucker for all the flavors you chose! Yes, all of them! They’re all things I love!
Valerie H. says
Hi Leigh Ann!
I want to try all of these tried and true cupcake recipes. At the moment the Cherry Chocolate recipe is calling my name since I’m a chocoholic.
Thanks for posting the recipes for us.
Suzanne says
I think I’m going to make the banana cream cheese cupcakes… I think it’s the cream cheese in the frosting that gets me!!