Caramel Cup Cakes with Brown-butter Icing

By MarieR

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick; 4-ounces) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup+2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (jar) prepared caramel topping
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon butter flavoring
• Brown-Butter Icing
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks; 6-ounces) unsalted butter, softened and divided
• 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1 tablespoon (jar) prepared caramel topping

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

Preparation: 15 minutes Bake: 20 to 25 minutes Cool: 1 hour
1 recipe Brown-Butter Icing (Recipe follows.)
Garnish: prepared caramel topping
PREHEAT oven to 350°. Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin pan; set aside. IN A LARGE BOWL, beat butter and sugar at high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs" one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside.
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, whisk together
flours. Set aside.
IN A SMALL BOWL, combine buttermilk, caramel topping, vanilla,and butter flavoring.
GRADUALLY ADD flour mixture to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk mixture, beginning and
ending with flour mixture. Evenly divide mixture among prepared muffin cups.
BAKE until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean,
20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
SPREAD Brown-Butter Icing over tops of cupcakes.
USING A SMALL WET SPOON, such as a measuring spoon, gently make an indentation in icing on top
of each cupcake, if desired. Garnish tops of cupcakes by carefully pouring
approximately 1 teaspoon caramel topping into each indentation.
STORE in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- - -
brown-butter icing
Yield: 21/4 cups Preparation: 10 minutes Cook: approximately 6 minutes Cool: 30 minutes Refrigerate: 30 minutes

IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Once butter melts, continue cooking, stirring constantly, until butter becomes honey colored and gives off a nutty aroma. Remove from heat to avoid burning butter. Pour butter through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl or cup. Set aside to cool to room temperature, approximately 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until lightly set, 25 to 30 minutes.*
IN A MEDIUM BOWL, combine remaining 1/2 cup butter and cooled browned butter*. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and caramel topping, beating until combined.
*This step can be done several weeks in advance. Store brown butter covered in the refrigerator. Allow to soften before using.
*When using cooled brown butter, avoid brown particles that collect in bottom of container. Otherwise, food will taste burned.