Friday, October 8, 2010

Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes

Pumpkin Cupcakes from Martha Stewart's 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 :)




Pumpkin Cupcakes from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
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.

    43 comments:

    1. Funny, there's no pumpkin in Russia, where I come from, and I tried it for the first time in the US. It took me a long time to get to love it, but now I'm in. These cupcakes look cravable and sticky-gooey.

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    2. I'm glad you found pumpkin! Those cupcakes look amazing. :-)

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    3. Beautiful crumb indeed. Looks so moist!

      First time here. Seen your name a few times and decided to check out your blog. not sure why I waited this long. Will definitely come back. I'm a Twitter follower now.

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    4. A pastry lover (like moi!) will go crazy looking at such delicious n novel recipes..Glad i stumbled upon Yumsilicious!!Glad to be following u...:)

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    5. Ooh, those look perfect! How adventurous of you to make your own puree too. Nice work!

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    6. blackbookkitchendiaries - Thank you!

      Irina - Yup, it took me a few hours to actually taste the first cupcake, but then, I loved it.

      Tracy - Thanks so much.

      Hanaa - Welcome here then. See you around :)

      Prathima - Yayy so glad you stopped by!

      Jacque - It's just one of the many things I've got to do because of non-availibility!

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    7. Ahhh...you probably saw from my site that I have a newfound love of browned butter. And who doesn't love pumpkin for fall? This is just amazing...good thing I have this book, too :).

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    8. Those look de-licious, especially with that frosting!

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    9. Lovely frosting, looks delicious and yummy!

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    10. Beautifully done! I love the forsting! looks so yummy:)

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    11. Great pumpkin muffins for the fall!!

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    12. Can't resist that tempting brown butter frosting.... and I could see that the internal part is so moisted... Yummy

      Sawadee from Bangkok,
      Kris

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    13. I must admit, I love pumpkin baked goods as they are often so lovely and moist inside! :D These look great and I did notice that lovely crumb too!

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    14. Wow, two of my all time favorite things! Browned butter and pumpkin. And I'm intrigued to see what the sage would taste like in a sweet... hmm! Awesome job!

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    15. These look absolutely decadent! Pumpkin is one of my favorite baking ingredients, so moist and flavorful. I will definitely be trying this recipe out soon, thanks for sharing :)

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    16. "Just look at the crumb" is right! This looks delicious. Wow! I love the frosting as well.

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    17. I think pumpkin cupcakes would taste awesome with that frosting! looks like a winning combination!

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    18. Xiaolu - Oh I knew you would like this one :)

      Katrina - Thank you!!

      Sanjeeta kk - Thanks so much <3

      Faith - It was delicious. And I don't usually like frosting! :P

      Ellie - Thanks :D

      Kris - Yeah, it was amazingly moist :)

      Lorraine - The crumb was one of the best I've ever made!

      Julia - I was too, but I couldn't find any :(
      Let me know if you try it!

      Eva - Yayy! Come back and tell me how it was!

      indianspicemagic - Thank you!

      naomi - Aww thank you <3

      Cakebrain - Great minds think alike!! Not mine, I ensure you, but one of Martha's million lackies!

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    19. Beautiful cup cakes, good to have come here from Anu's blog. Hope to drop here more often. Best wishes.

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    20. Soooo irresistible! That combo is to die for.

      Cheers,

      Rosa

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    21. OMG those sound AMAZING. You had me at "pumpkin cupcakes," but brown butter frosting??? Yum!

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    22. Those looks heavenly! I actually just posted on a cupcake with brown butter frosting, and I really couldn't believe I hadn't thought of the idea myself. Brilliant! The pumpkin with it looks just unbelievable.

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    23. Just seeing that frosting on anything would make me reach for a piece. It looks so good I'd dip anything in it.

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    24. Oh, my YUM! Those look amazing and if my memory serves me correctly tasted even better than they looked. I made these last year and left out the sage. After seeing yours I need to make 'em again but add the sage.
      ~ingrid

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    25. i heart brown butter :) these cupcakes look divine!

      and thank you so much for the compliment about my torte :)

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    26. My very limited experience with browned butter has resulted in burned butter but these look so good, you may have inspired me to give the whole butter thing another go :)

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    27. Avanika, I am sooo loving the effect of that frosting glaze you added on top! Totally made it extra fall-ish! Love it as usual! Now, it's time to try!

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    28. There is nothing better than browned butter icing. I love that nutty flavor.

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    29. Really nice blog and lovely pics!
      Cupcakes look so delicous,bravo Avanika:)

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    30. These look super delicious, Avanika. I made some pumpkin muffins a couple weeks ago, and the insides looked just like your cupcakes--moist and good. I like the frosting idea you employed. It sounds fantastic! I didn't realize, until reading your post, that pumpkins would be considered an exotic item there, but I guess that's not surprising. I have already been having a little trouble finding it in the grocery store here! Maybe ladies who like to bake are hoarding it!? ;)

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    31. You know when I was growing up, I would have never thought of using pumpkins in cakes. But isn't that the beauty of discovering cultures now through the internet? With Halloween season knocking at our doors, its so nice to see food blogs from all over the world flooded with pumpkin dessert recipes :)

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    32. Just last night I was thinking what a yummy combination brown butter and pumpkin in a cake would be. They do look wonderful!

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    33. i've never heard of brown butter frosting, sounds delicious though!

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    34. These sound awesome!! I would love every bite :)

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    35. I have never tried brown butter frosting but it sounds and looks great.

      Plan B

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    36. This does look good!! I've answered your questions on my blog. Email me if you need more questions answered!!

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    37. oh. that looks mouthwatering! i don't think we have it, the orange pumpkin in Indonesia either we do have the green one thou but surely I was surprised to read it actually taste the same! wow

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    38. You took the humble pumpkin to dizzy heights Av... I ♥ brown butter anything, and these are really good!

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    39. Hi , I am in Mumbai too . Nice to know you are there too . I like your blog :)

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    40. How on earth did I miss these beauties?
      What's not to love about pumpkin and brown butter combined in a cupcake?!

      Yummm!

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    41. Sanjeeta - Huh? I've seen you around many times before?

      Rosa - Thanks!!

      Beth - Hehe thanks for the enthusiasm :)

      Sarah - Thanks so much. I wouldn't have thought of it vefore, but now I'm in love with the combination!

      Lisa - Haha yes!! The frosting was oh soo good!

      Ingrid - I'd like to know how it tastes with it. I have a feeling it would add a great dimension :)

      Jaime - Thanks so much. You deserve them :)

      Lawyer Loves Lunch - Lol. I didn't mention it because I didn't want to look stupid, but I burnt the butter twice before getting it right!!

      Rylan - Thanks so muchh!! You're way sweet :)

      Robin Sue - Oh yes!

      Cafe Pepela - Aww thank you <3

      Jane - Maybe I didn't write it correctly. Pumpkins aren't exotic here, but only that they look completely different from those orange pumpkins that I expected!

      Miss Stovetop - Me too. I was put off just until trying this recipe, but now I'm in love!

      PheMom - Great minds think alike?

      Mira - Oh you have been missing out!!

      cookies and cups - I'm sure :)

      Paula - Aw thanks!!

      Chef Bee - It tasted awesome!!

      Dharm - Thanks. It still didn't work, but I'm going to figure a way out!

      Ardna - Hehe I expect it would be the same, since Indonesian weather and subseqeunt produce availibility is very similar to ours!

      Deeba - Yay. Coming from you and your pumpkin onslaught, I'm super flattered :)

      va - Nice to 'meet' you :)

      Valerie - I know. You're usually the first to leave a comment!

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