Browned Butter Vanilla Cupcakes

I found this delicious cupcake recipe over at Baking Bites, and it has become my go-to vanilla cupcake recipe. The browned butter gives the cupcakes a really great rich and unique flavor which has everybody asking what the secret is!

These cupcakes are fantastically easy to make - no creaming required! I usually double it, as this recipe only makes a dozen, which is never enough.

I like to use a cream cheese frosting with this, sometimes mixing in a bit of grated lemon into the frosting for a twist. If you're going to use something different, stay away from overly sweet frostings, as they will easily overpower the delicate flavor of the cupcakes.

Browned Butter Vanilla Cupcakes

Makes roughly 12

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line baking pan with cupcake liners.

Melt butter in a small saucepan and cook over low-medium heat until butter has turned an amber color and smells toasty, but not burnt. Be carefuly, because the butter will darken very quickly once it starts, and may bubble over easily if not watched. Pour from saucepan into a small bowl, scraping all the browned bits from the bottom.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

In a medium bowl, whisk together cooled butter, eggs, vanilla and milk. Pour into dry mixture and stir until just combined.

Distribute batter evenly into prepared muffin cups. I use an ice cream scoop in order to ensure even distribution of batter, and also to minimize drips.

Bake for 16-19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. The tops of the cupcakes will spring back when lightly touched.

Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.