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Maple Cupcakes

Soft and super pillowy maple cupcakes crowned with a toasty and irresistibly heavenly brown butter frosting!
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 21 minutes
Chilling Time 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 6 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18 Cupcakes

Ingredients
  

For the Cupcakes

  • 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Brown Butter Frosting

  • ½ cup SALTED butter,  for browning
  • ½ cup UNSALTED butter, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Whole toasted pecans, for topping
  • Pure maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions
 

Make the Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-count muffin pan with cupcake liners.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined; set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium speed until lightened and creamy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the sour cream, maple syrup, and vanilla on medium speed.
  • With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  • Fill cupcake liners 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting

  • In a medium saucepan, melt the salted butter over medium-low heat. As the butter melts, it’ll start to foam, then turn a clear golden color. Continue to stir the butter, scraping up any browned specks from the bottom of the pan as it starts to brown. It should have a nutty aroma. Once browned and nutty, immediately pour into a shallow bowl, then place into the freezer until solid, about 30-45 minutes. Stir it every 15 minutes to speed up the chilling time.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the solidified browned butter with the unsalted butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, a cup at a time, until combined. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue mixing until light and fluffy.
  • Pipe or spread buttercream onto cooled cupcakes. Top with whole toasted pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. Cupcakes keep well covered tightly at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.