Butternut Cupcakes with Salted Caramel and Maple Brown Butter Frosting

By jojobean

These cupcakes are so decadent and will add an unexpected touch to your holiday parties. They are a bit time consuming in their original form, but shortcuts (like jarred caramel sauce in place of the homemade version) can make it easier!
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Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, halved, and seeded
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, divided
• 1 2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• For caramel: 1 cup sugar
• 1 quart whole milk
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda, dissolved in 1/2 Tbls. water.
• 1 Vanilla Bean
• Ginger Salt and cooked, crumbled bacon for garnish
• For icing: 3 Tbls. Maple Sugar
• 5 Tbls. butter, divided
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 3 Tbls. whipping cream
• 1/4 tsp from the remains of your Vanilla Bean
• dash of salt
• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice squash into four equal pieces and place in a baking dish. Top each with a pat of butter and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until very tender. Mash with a potato masher or a fork until squash becomes like a thick puree. Set aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Melt remaining butter and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. In another bowl, whisk sugars, egg, and 1 cup of the cooled squash puree. Slowly whisk in cooled melted butter. Pour squash mixture into flour mixture and fold to combine. Using a cupcake scoop, fill lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before inverting tins.

Prepare the caramel filling by first splitting open your vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out about a 1/4 tsp. and set aside for the icing. Toss the bean along with the sugar and milk into a large heavy bottomed pot. Simmer, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda mixture. Once bubbling subsides, return to heat. Bring to a brisk simmer, but not a boil. Cook, stirring regularly, until milk begins to turn golden. This takes about an hour. Continue stirring and cooking until milk begins to brown, making sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Once a soft ball begins to form, the caramel is ready. Remove from heat and remove vanilla bean.

Fill cupcakes by cutting a small cone shape from the top of each. Spoon warm caramel into the hole and sprinkle with ginger salt. Top with Maple Brown Butter Icing and garnish with more ginger salt and bacon, if you dare.

For icing: In a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, whisk 2 Tbls. of butter and maple sugar until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Whisk in cream. Pour into a small bowl, stirring to cool.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat remaining butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Slice vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the middle. Beat in salt and vanilla. While beating, slowly pour in cooled brown butter mixture and continue mixing until smooth. Add powdered sugar 1/2 c. at a time, beating well after each addition. Chill for 20 minutes before icing cupcakes.