Brown Butter Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting

Brown Butter Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting

Mar 14, 2025

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:

  • 1 2/3 cup all purpose flour 
  • 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup milk, slightly warm
  • 3 egg whites 
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

For the Buttercream:

  • 4 egg whites 
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup water

Directions:

For the Cupcakes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 345F. Line two cupcake pans with 18-20 liners. Set aside.
  2. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook it until it turns a golden amber color. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. You can move it to the fridge to speed up this process.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, vanilla and vanilla bean paste. Whisk in the now room temperature brown butter and then the egg whites.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk together until just incorporated, making sure not to over-mix.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling the wells 2/3 the way full. Bake for about 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow them to cool completely before frosting.

For the Buttercream:

  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Cook it until it turns a golden amber color. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. You can move it to the fridge to speed up this process.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, salt, cream of tartar and the remaining 1/3 cup of sugar together with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Set aside.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add 1 cup of the sugar and the water. Stir until the sugar melts and dissolves completely. Maintain at medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 235-240F.
  4. Drizzle the sugar mixture into the egg white mixture as soon as it reaches the desired temperature. Beat this mixture with the electric mixture until it cools.
  5. Add the now cooled browned butter to this mixture one tablespoon and beat until fully incorporated after each addition.
  6. Beat in the vanilla and vanilla bean paste. Beat until the mixture has reached a smooth and silky consistency.
  7. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag with the tip snipped and pipe a dollop onto each of the cooled cupcakes. Enjoy!

*Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.

*Try making the browned butter a day ahead of time so it is ready when your ready to start baking.

Makes about 18-20 Cupcakes