These Brown Butter Vanilla Cupcakes are simple vanilla cupcakes but elevated with a base of brown butter. Keep them plain and decorate them with melted chocolate or create a snickers version. These are made by adding a simple caramel filling, topped with a cream cheese frosting, chopped nuts and snickers.
These Brown Butter Vanilla Cupcakes will soon become your-go to recipe. They have a beautiful tender crumb and are so adaptable. I know this recipe has a few steps and if that is too much for you today, take a look at my simpler version. If you are ready for a Snickers flavour sensation then follow each step of this recipe.
More baking inspiration:
Still feeling like a kapukeke (cupcake) but want a different flavour? Try these Simple Banana Cupcakes, they are delicious as they are or top with Peanut Butter Buttercream. Or these Chocolate Ganache Muffins will definitely hit the spot.
Videography and photography taken by Sarah Henderson.
Ingredient tips for the Brown Butter Vanilla Cupcakes:
- Butter: I prefer salted pata (butter) because of the deep flavour but unsalted works.
- Eggs: I prefer free-range hēki (eggs) but use what you have.
- Vanilla: Vanilla is the main flavour in these kapukeke (cupcakes) so a good quality vanilla essence is best in this recipe.
Expert Advice:
Do not turn up the heat too much when you are browning butter. A medium heat will slowly brown the butter and add a deep savoury note. If you need more tips, check out my How to Brown Butter post.
Adhere to the 10 minute cooling time of the pata paruari (brown butter) before adding the remaining ingredients, this will ensure that there is no unnecessary scrambled egg situation.
When the pata paruari (brown butter) and huka (sugar) are combined it can look separated but do not fear, once the hēki (egg) are added, it will bring it all together.
I bake these cupcakes at a low temperate of 140 degrees celsius. This may seem super low but it helps maintain the moisture of the cupcakes and baked them gently without doming.
Make sure the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) has been brought to room temperature before whipping it. This helps prevent lumps in the mixture.
Step by Step Instructions for Brown Butter Vanilla Cupcakes:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Preheat the Oven:
Pre-heat the oven to 140 °C.
2. Brown the Butter:
Add the chopped pata (butter) in to a medium sized pot or pan. Set over medium heat.
First, melt the butter, stirring occasionally. As the heat continues the milk fats will start to separate (these are the white, floaty bits). Stir occasionally here so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
Keep it on the heat until the butter starts to foam. Stir it a little bit until the brown bits float to the top. It should smell nutty. From here, stir it a little for another 30 seconds or so, so the butter browns further. This may smoke a little but a little bit of smoke is ok.
3. Cool for 10 minutes:
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Stir the Butter and Sugar:
Add the slightly cooled pata parauri (brown butter) in to a bowl. Add the huka one (caster sugar), huka hāura (brown sugar) and tote (salt) in to the pata. Stir until smooth.
5. Whip in the Eggs:
Stir in the hēki (eggs) one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition. Stir in the wanira (vanilla).
6. Fold in the Dry Ingredients and Milk:
Sift in 1 cup of the puehu parāoa (flour) and all of the pēkana paura (baking powder). Using a whisk, stir for 5 - 10 seconds or until just combined. Add half of the miraka (milk) and stir for 5 - 10 seconds or until just combined.
Sift in ½ cup of puehu parāoa (flour) in to the mixture and pour in the second half of the miraka (milk). Kōroritia kia māene (stir until smooth).
7. Add to Cupcake Cases:
Add ¼ cup of the mixture in to each cupcake case.
I used cardboard cases in the video but you can also line 12 x standard muffin tins with paper liners.
8. Bake the Cupcakes:
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until just baked.
They should spring back when pressed in the centre.
Eat the Cupcakes warm with a simple chocolate icing:
If you are keeping the kapukeke (cupcakes) simple, serve them warm as they are.
You can also add a piece or two pieces of your favourite tiakarete (chocolate) on to each kapukeke (cupcake) as soon as they are removed from the oven.
Leave the tiakarete (chocolate) to melt for 5 minutes and then smooth it out with a teaspoon.
They are delicious like this but if you want a Snickers vibe continue on with the following steps.
7. Make the Simple Caramel:
Add the pata (butter), huka hāura (brown sugar) and tote (salt) to a frying pan or a wide pot.
Heat over medium-high heat until the pata (butter) and huka (sugar) have combined and the sugar is dissolved.
It will look separated halfway through but it does come together. Stir occasionally as it simmers for a few minutes after the butter and sugar have come together. You want a nice, deep colour here.
Pour in the kirīmi (cream). Stir well and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes over medium heat until it starts to thicken.
Remove from the heat and stir through the wanira (vanilla).
Allow to cool to room temperature, it will thicken as it cools. If you want it thicker, refrigerate or 20 minutes.
9. Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar) and wanira (vanilla) until light and fluffy.
Add the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) and mash it with a fork to remove lumps.
Whip again until smooth for around a minute.
10. Add the Caramel in to Cupcakes:
Add half of the karamea (caramel) to a piping bag with a small round attachment.
Pierce the tip in to the kapukeke (cupcake) and squeeze a little bit into each cupcake.
If you don't have a piping tip, use a small knife to cut out a small hole in the centre of the cupcake and fill it with karamea (caramel), using a teaspoon.
11. Add the frosting and extra caramel:
Pipe or spoon on the pani reka (frosting). I pipe it on and keep a hole in the centre.
Once piped, fill each hole with the remaining karamea (caramel).
You can also just drizzle the karamea (caramel) on top of the frosting.
12. Finish with nuts and Snickers:
Sprinkle with the nati (nuts).
Cut the Snickers into 12 equal pieces and top each cupcake with them. They are ready to enjoy.
These will keep well in a sealed container, in the cupboard for up to five days.
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Keke (Cake) Recipes
A little cake is the anchor of any special occasion.
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Brown Butter and Vanilla Cupcakes - Kapukeke Pata Parauri me te Wanira.
Ingredients
Brown Butter and Vanilla Cupcake - Kapukeke Pata Parauri me te Wanira
- 160 g pata (butter)
- ¼ C (55 g) huka one (caster sugar)
- ½ C (100 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
- ¼ tsp tote (salt, fine)
- 2 hēki iti (small eggs, size 6)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) wanira (vanilla)
- 1 ½ C (225 g) puheu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- 1 ½ teaspoon pēkana paura (baking powder)
- ⅔ C (165 ml) miraka (milk)
The Caramel - Te Karamea
- 75 g pata (butter)
- ½ C (100 g) huka hāura (brown sugar)
- ½ C (125 ml) kirīmi (cream)
- ¼ teaspoon tote (salt, fine)
- 1 teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
Cream Cheese Frosting - Pani Reka Kirīmi Tīhi
- 70 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ½ C (85 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 1 teaspoon wanira (vanilla)
- 200 g kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese,room temperature)
Decorations - Ngā Whakarākei
- ⅓ C nati (nuts, I used honey roasted peanuts, chopped in to small pieces)
- 2 Snickers bars
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
- Pre-heat the oven to 140 °C.
Brown the Butter:
- Add the chopped pata (butter) in to a medium sized pot or pan. Set over medium heat.
- First, melt the butter, stirring occasionally. As the heat continues the milk fats will start to separate (these are the white, floaty bits). Stir occasionally here so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Keep it on the heat until the butter starts to foam. Stir it a little bit until the brown bits float to the top. It should smell nutty. (Use the pictures and video as a guide).
- From here, stir it a little for another 30 seconds or so, so the butter browns further. This may smoke a little but a little bit of smoke is ok.
Cool:
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Stir the Butter and Sugar:
- Add the slightly cooled pata parauri (brown butter) in to a large bowl.
- Add the huka one (caster sugar), huka hāura (brown sugar) and tote (salt) in to the pata. Stir until smooth.
Whip in the Eggs:
- Stir in the hēki (eggs) one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition. Stir in the wanira (vanilla).
Add the Dry Ingredients and Milk:
- Sift in 1 cup of the puehu parāoa (flour) and all of the pēkana paura (baking powder). Using a whisk, stir for 5 - 10 seconds or until just combined. Add half of the miraka (milk) and stir for 5 - 10 seconds or until just combined.
- Sift in ½ cup of puehu parāoa (flour) in to the mixture and pour in the second half of the miraka (milk). Kōroritia kia māene (stir until smooth).
Add to Cupcake Cases:
- Add ¼ cup of the mixture in to each cupcake case. I used cardboard cases in the video but you can also line 12 x standard muffin tins with paper liners.
Bake the Cupcakes:
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until just baked. They should spring back when pressed in the centre.
Serve the Cupcakes warm:
- If you are keeping the kapukeke (cupcakes) simple, serve them warm as they are.
- You can also add a piece or two pieces of your favourite tiakarete (chocolate) on to each kapukeke (cupcake) as soon as they are removed from the oven. Leave the tiakarete (chocolate) to melt for 5 minutes and then smooth it out with a teaspoon. They are delicious like this but if you want a Snickers vibe continue on with the following steps.
Snickers Cupcakes - Make the Simple Caramel:
- Add the pata (butter), huka hāura (brown sugar) and tote (salt) to a frying pan or a wide pot.
- Heat over medium-high heat until the pata (butter) and huka (sugar) have combined and the sugar is dissolved. It will look separated halfway through but it does come together. Stir occasionally as it simmers for a few minutes after the butter and sugar have come together. You want a nice, deep colour here.
- Pour in the kirīmi (cream). Stir well and simmer for 5 - 7 minutes over medium heat until it starts to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir through the wanira (vanilla). Allow to cool to room temperature, it will thicken as it cools. If you want it thicker, refrigerate or 20 minutes.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Add the pata kūteretere (softened butter), puehu huka (icing sugar) and wanira (vanilla) until light and fluffy. Add the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) and mash to remove lumps. Whip again until smooth for around a minute.
Add the Caramel in to the Cupcakes:
- Add half of the karamea (caramel) to a piping bag with a small round attachment. Pierce the tip in to the kapukeke (cupcake) and squeeze a little bit into each cupcake. If you don't have a piping tip, use a small knife to cut out a small hole in the centre of the cupcake and fill it with karamea (caramel), using a teaspoon .
Add the Frosting and Extra Caramel:
- Pipe or spoon on the pani reka (frosting). I pipe it on and keep a hole in the centre but this is optional.
- Once piped, fill each hole with the remaining karamea (caramel). You can also just drizzle the karamea (caramel) on top of the frosting.
Finish with Nuts and Snickers:
- Sprinkle with the nati kua tapahia (chopped nuts).
- Cut the Snickers into 12 equal pieces and top each cupcake with them. They are ready to enjoy.
Storage Instructions:
- These will keep well in a sealed container, in the cupboard for up to five days.
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