Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

These Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting taste like fall! Tender brown sugar sour cream cupcakes, spiced with my homemade apple pie spice, ground ginger and clove are topped with a simple brown butter cream cheese frosting. This recipe yields 12 cupcakes.

Sometimes I get inspired by the food in books and movies.

If you’ve been hanging around here the last 15 years you may remember this clementine cake (from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty) or this Christmas fettuccine from The Holiday movie. These spiced cupcakes were inspired by a book I recently read. And although it wasn’t my favorite book that I’ve ever read, I couldn’t stop thinking about a cupcake that was mentioned in the story. It was a spiced cupcake piled high with thick frosting, and for that reason alone, I had to make something similar.

These brown sugar sour cream cupcakes are spiced with ground ginger and clove along with my homemade apple pie spice which contains a perfect blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice. And if that doesn’t already sound incredible, imagine them piled high with brown butter cream cheese frosting.

The combination is *chef’s kiss*.

To Make These Spiced Cupcakes You Will Need:

for the cupcakes:

• unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the cake batter. Can substitute gluten-free 1 for 1 flour.
• baking powder – Creates a leavening effect that makes the cupcakes rise with a light texture.
• apple pie spice – I use this homemade recipe.
• ginger (ground) – Gives a pungent, spicy and sweet flavor.
• clove (ground) – A pungent warm spice with a distinct and intense flavor and aroma.
• fine salt – Use either sea salt or pink himalayan.
• light brown sugar – Sweetens and gives the cupcakes flavor.
• granulated sugar (white) – A pungent warm spice with a distinct and intense flavor and aroma.
• eggs – Adds richness and flavor.
• sour cream – Helps to tenderize the cupcakes and the fat adds moisture and flavor.
• unsweetened apple sauce – Adds moisture without added fat.
• vanilla bean paste – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe. Or substitute with pure vanilla extract.
• cinnamon (ground) – For sprinkling on top of frosting. Lends a distinct warm and woodsy flavor.

for the frosting:

• cream cheese – Set out to soften to room temperature.
• brown butter (solidified) – Adds richness and nutty flavor.
• fine salt – Enhances the flavors in the frosting. Use pink himalayan or sea salt.
• sifted powdered sugar – Will sweeten and thicken the frosting.

BROWN THE BUTTER FOR THE FROSTING:

The day before or morning of baking, melt 6 tablespoons in a skillet, stirring often, until the milk solids turn golden brown. Here is a step-by-step post showing you how to make brown butter.

Let it cool completely until the butter solidifies. It’s okay to refrigerate it to speed up the process, but it will need to come back up to room temperature in order for it to blend with the cream cheese.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 180°C).

Line a standard muffin pan with parchment liners.

Make The Cupcakes:

In a mixing bowl, measure and add in 1¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 rounded teaspoon apple pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon ground clove and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt.

Whisk to combine and set off to the side.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the unsalted butter with 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and on medium speed, add in the 2 eggs in one at a time.

Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Add in the 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons applesauce and 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract.

Mix until incorporated. Again, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.

Perfection.

Divide the batter among the liners filling approximately 2/3 of the way full. Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes OR until a toothpick/tester comes out clean with a few crumbs attached, when inserted into the middle.

Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

Then carefully remove each cupcake and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Make The Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add in the 6 tablespoons solidified browned butter, 8 ounces softened cream cheese and a pinch of fine salt. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Gradually add in 3 to 3½ cups of sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low to medium-low speed to incorporate. Scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.

SO GOOD.

Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, fill a pastry bag (with the frosting tip you prefer) with the brown butter cream cheese frosting. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcake and sprinkle a little cinnamon over top.

The perfect cupcake that’s not overly sweet but perfectly spiced topped with a creamy, nutty cream cheese frosting.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve and while storing.

Click Here For More Cupcake Recipes!

Enjoy! And if you give this Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!