Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Buttercream

Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Buttercream

Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Buttercream

These Spiced Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting are moist and flavorful! Tender brown sugar cupcakes spiced with apple pie spice, ground ginger and clove are topped with a simple brown butter cream cheese frosting.

Course Desserts & Sweet Treats

Cuisine American

Keyword baking, brown butter, cupcakes, fall baking, frosting, winter baking

Servings servings

Calories 404

Author Laurie McNamara

Equipment

USA Pan (1200MF) Bakeware Cupcake and Muffin Pan, 12 Well, Nonstick & Quick Release Coating, Made in the USA from Aluminized Steel

Ingredients

FOR THE BROWN BUTTER:

6 tablespoons unsalted butter for the frosting

FOR THE CUPCAKES:

1¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour or use Gluten-Free 1 to 1 flour (I like Bob's Red Mill)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 rounded teaspoon apple pie spice
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
1/2 cup full-fat sour cream at room temperature
2 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract

FOR THE FROSTING:

brown butter
8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
1 pinch fine salt pink himalayan or sea salt
3 to 3½ cups powdered sugar sifted

FOR SERVING:

ground cinnamon for sprinkling over frosting
coarse sparkling sugar for sprinkling over frosting (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

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.

MAKE THE CUPCAKES:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 180°C).
Line a standard muffin pan with parchment liners.
In a mixing bowl, measure and add in the unbleached all-purpose flour, apple pie spice, salt, ginger and clove. Whisk to combine and set off to the side.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the 1/2 cup unsalted butter (not the brown butter) with light brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Stop to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Then on medium speed, add in the eggs one at a time. Add in the sour cream, applesauce and 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 stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.
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. 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 solidified browned butter, cream cheese and a pinch of fine salt. Blend on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Gradually add in the sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low to medium-low speed to incorporate. Scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go.
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 and sprinkle a little cinnamon over top and/or coarse sparkling sugar.

Notes

Nutrition Disclaimer: All information presented on this site is intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on SimplyScratch.com should only be used as a general guideline.

Nutrition