Description
Get ready to fall in love with these Vanilla Brown Butter Cupcakes—rich, nutty browned butter combined with fragrant vanilla bean makes these cupcakes incredibly moist and flavorful. Topped with a luscious brown butter buttercream that’s creamy, smooth, and just the right touch of sweet and salty. Perfect for celebrations or whenever you need a little indulgence! Trust me, this one’s a showstopper! #BrownButterCupcakes #VanillaCupcakes #ButtercreamLove #BakingJoy
Ingredients
Scale
Vanilla Bean Brown Butter
- 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 vanilla bean, split
Cupcakes
- 220g (1 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp) cake flour
- 200g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 90g browned butter*
- 1 tbsp canola oil (or any flavorless oil)
- 3 large eggs
- 160g (⅔ cup) buttermilk or kefir
Brown Butter Buttercream
- Remaining browned butter (about 200g)
- 113g cream cheese, room temperature (or substitute 60g sour cream)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 360g (3 cups) powdered sugar (preferably tapioca-based)
Instructions
Instructions
- Make the vanilla brown butter: In a saucepan, melt cold butter with the split vanilla bean over medium heat, stirring often until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve the browned butter. Allow to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine 90g of the cooled browned butter, canola oil, vanilla extract, eggs, and buttermilk. Mix well until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cupcake liners and bake for 18–22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
- For the brown butter buttercream: Beat the remaining browned butter with cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt, then gradually add powdered sugar, beating until fluffy and spreadable.
- Frost the cooled cupcakes generously with the brown butter buttercream and enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to watch the butter closely while browning to avoid burning.
- You can substitute sour cream for cream cheese in the buttercream for a tangier flavor.
- Tapioca-based powdered sugar keeps the buttercream silky smooth and less grainy.
- For extra vanilla flavor, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the batter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 90mg