Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes

So it's fall. Being in Bombay, fall doesn't really happen here, we don't get that wonderful beauty, nor do we get the fruits, nothing special. But considering most food blogs are American, seeing all the gorgeous dishes each person has been putting out has egged me on a bit, and I wanted to see for myself why there is such a hoopla over pumpkin in baked foods. I had never made nor eaten anything that had pumpkin cooked into it, I always thought it wasn't even available here, because pumpkins to me were, obviously, those huge orange things that you carved faces out of. It was only last week when complaining to mom about it, and wondering whether there would be any puree available at the 'import' shops that I realised the truth. It's not really my fault, I mean who would expect pumpkins to be green? Turns out, it's just a different variety, and is essentially the same.


I made my own puree, which was super easy to do. I was scouring through the internet as well as my cookbooks, and found one in Martha Stewart's book [one that I love] that had received raves, and looked really good too. Though it's called a cupcake, it's essentially made like a muffin, and came together in no time, no mixer, no nothing. Plus, it has brown butter in both the cupcake, as well as the frosting! What could be better? They were absolutely delicious, light, and I finally understand why people love pumpkins enough to be such a big shortage! I left some plain, because I'm not a big frosting fan [I know!!], but for once, the frosting actually added to the cupcakes, and gave them a needed boost of flavor and sweetness. Even with the frosting though, they aren't really dessert-y, they are more likely to be eaten for a quick snack [or not so quick, if you eat as many as I did :P] Either way, you have to try these. And you'll probably see more pumpkin posts around now :)





Just look at that crumb!! <3


Pumpkin Cupcakes with Brown Butter Frosting
Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 16 - I hate when recipes give such odd amounts, I overfilled a little bit and managed to get an even 12


For the cupcakes -
3/4 cup [1 1/2 sticks / 170 g] unsalted butter
1 2/3 cups [200 g] flour
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves, cut into chiffonade [optional] - I didn't use, but would imagine it would be a wonderful addition
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon - Notch it up to 1 if you like
1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg - Again, take it up to 1/2 tsp easily
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup [220 g] packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup [125 g] granulated sugar
2 large eggs


For the frosting -
1/2 cup [1 stick / 113 g] unsalted butter
2 cups [225 g] sifted confectioners sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk, plus more if needed.




Instructions -

1. Preheat oven to 325 F [160 C]. Brush a muffin pan with butter, then dust with flour, tapping out excess.
2. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the sage, if using. Cook until the butter turns golden brown, swirling occasionally, about 10 minutes. Skim foam off the top using a tea strainer. Pour into another bowl to stop furthur cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind. Allow to cool.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, sugars, eggs, and brown butter mixture. Make sure the butter has cooled down so as to not cook the eggs. Whisk in the flour mixture until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, filling not more than 3/4 of the way. These have a slight rise, you can see how much they puffed up above the liners.
6. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool, and store at room temperature overnight, or frozen upto 2 months in an airtight container.

For the frosting - 

1. Brown the butter in the same way as step 2 above.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla and 2 tbsp milk to the butter, stir to combine. Add more milk if you feel it's needed, you are aiming at a thick glaze. Use immediately.
3. Dip the cupcake tops into the glaze, and allow to cool. Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed.