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. These simple kapukeke wanira (vanilla cupcakes) are given a flavour lift by browning the pata (butter) first. They have a beautiful tender crumb and are so adaptable. If you are ready for a Snickers flavour sensation then follow each step of this recipe. They have a balanced cupcake with smooth karamea (caramel). Pani reka kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese frosting) sits on top with nati (peanuts) and a slice of snickers to top it off. I mean, what could be better? I know this recipe has a few steps and if that is too much for you today, take a look at my simpler version.
A simple version of the Brown Butter Vanilla Cupcakes:
You can keep these as a simple mawhene (muffin) by keeping them plain or folding through titipi tiakarete (chocolate chips). In our whānau (family), we can’t always be bothered making a buttercream. In those instances, we add a piece of tiakarete (chocolate) on to each hot cupcake, straight from the oven. Then allow the tiakarete (chocolate) to melt and smooth out the melted tiakarete (chocolate) with a spoon. It is such a simple icing and it tastes delicious. There are so many different ways you can use this base recipe. With that in mind, let’s bake!
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 would you like a gooey chocolate mawhene (muffin)? I have got the perfect recipe for you, these Chocolate Ganache Muffins will definitely hit the spot. Maybe you are actually craving something savoury? These Bacon, Cheese and Chive Savoury Muffins are so moorish and full of flavour. If you do make any of my recipes, I would love to hear your feedback!
Videography and photography taken by Sarah Henderson.
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 tbsp (15 ml) wanira (vanilla)
- 1 ½ C (225 g) puheu parāoa noa (plain flour)
- 1 ½ tsp 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 tsp tote (salt, fine)
- 1 tsp wanira (vanilla)
Cream Cheese Frosting – Pani Reka Kirīmi Tīhi
- 70 g pata kūteretere (softened butter)
- ½ C (85 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- 1 tsp 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
The Brown Butter – Te Pata Parauri
- Pre-heat the oven to 140 °C, fan bake or 140 °C on bake.
- Add the chopped pata (butter) in to a medium sized pot or pan. Set over medium heat.
- First the pata (butter) will melt then 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 and eventually the butter will start to foam. Stir it a little bit and allow the brown bits to 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.
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Brown Butter and Vanilla Cupcake – Kapukeke Pata Parauri me te Wanira
- 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.
- Stir in the hēki (eggs) one at a time, beating for 30 seconds between each addition. Stir in the wanira (vanilla).
- 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 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 for 25-30 minutes or until just baked. They should spring back when pressed in the centre. Cool completely before decorating them.
The Caramel – Te Karamea
- 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.
Cream Cheese Frosting – Pani Reka Kirīmi Tīhi
- 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.
Cupcake Assembly – Mahi Hanga Kapukeke
- Add half of the karamea (caramel) to a piping bag with a small round attachment. Piece 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 .
- Pipe or spoon on the pani reka (frosting). I pipe it on and keep a hole in the centre. Once piped, I fill each hole with the remaining karamea (caramel). You can also just drizzle the karamea (caramel) on top of the frosting.
- 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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