Cakes and Cookies
Deep Brown Sugar Cupcakes with Homemade Sea Salted Caramel Frosting
These cupcakes celebrate the rich, molasses-forward notes of dark brown sugar, resulting in a crumb that is exceptionally moist and tender. Paired with a velvety buttercream infused with handcrafted caramel and finished with a pinch of flaky sea salt, they are a sophisticated seasonal dessert for the home kitchen.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Serves
- 12
- Level
- Intermediate
- Per serving
- 410 kcal
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment liners.
In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and dark brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla bean paste, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the liners and bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the caramel for the frosting: Melt granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it turns a deep amber liquid. Carefully whisk in 2 tablespoons of butter and the heavy cream (it will bubble vigorously). Stir until smooth, then remove from heat, add a pinch of salt, and let cool completely to room temperature.
Prepare the frosting by beating the remaining 1 cup of butter until pale and creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar and the cooled caramel sauce. Beat on high for 2 minutes until light and airy.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt just before serving.
Note for Grain-Free Variation: Replace the whole wheat pastry flour with 1.75 cups of fine-ground almond flour and 1/4 cup of arrowroot starch. This changes the method by requiring a longer rest time (10 minutes) for the batter before baking to allow the almond flour to hydrate.
Notes
Ensure your eggs and milk are at room temperature to prevent the batter from curdling.
When making the caramel, do not walk away; sugar goes from amber to burnt in seconds.
If your caramel hardens too much when cooling, gently warm it for 5 seconds until it is a stirrable consistency but not hot.
Use dark muscovado sugar if available for a more intense, toffee-like flavor in the sponge.
