These brown sugar butterscotch cupcakes have a candy shock filling! Get pleasure from comfortable and tender brown sugar cupcakes stuffed with gooey do-it-yourself butterscotch. Every chunk is buttery, wealthy, and loaded with toffee-like taste—like the most effective components of butterscotch pudding wrapped up in cupcake kind. You’ll be able to select your personal frosting, resembling vanilla buttercream (pictured) or Swiss meringue buttercream. Extra choices under!
I first printed this recipe in 2013. Since then, my workforce and I revisited this recipe and made some modifications to enhance the flavour and consistency of the do-it-yourself butterscotch sauce.
So many cupcake flavors, so little time! Although there’s all the time a motive to return to the mainstays of vanilla cupcakes and chocolate cupcakes, typically it’s value taking a taste detour off the well-traveled cupcake path. Like with apple cupcakes with salted caramel frosting, snickerdoodle cupcakes, and chai latte cupcakes, all of which have that factor of the surprising that’s so pleasant in a deal with.
And at the moment’s brown sugar butterscotch cupcakes function an additional surprising factor, as a result of hidden inside is a gooey do-it-yourself butterscotch sauce. One chunk and also you’ll (at the very least quickly) neglect all of the outdated cupcake flavors you like.
In case you love butterscotch, you’ll completely adore these cupcakes.
Let’s begin by making the butterscotch sauce first, so it has loads of time to chill earlier than you want it to fill the cupcakes.
Make Do-it-yourself Butterscotch Sauce
The tip consequence could look just like do-it-yourself salted caramel, however a key distinction right here is butterscotch is produced from brown sugar, whereas caramel is produced from white sugar. The sauce stays slightly thinner, too.
Additionally, making butterscotch sauce just isn’t fairly as hands-on as caramel. For more often than not, you’re simply watching butter, cream, and brown sugar bubble.
Right here’s what that you must make the best-tasting do-it-yourself butterscotch:
- Butter: Can’t make—and even spell—butterscotch with out butter!
- Darkish Brown Sugar: You should utilize gentle brown sugar, however for the richest, deepest butterscotch taste, attain for the darkish stuff.
- Lemon Juice: A stunning however essential ingredient! Lemon juice prevents sugar crystallization, so your sauce stays easy and velvety somewhat than gritty. You received’t style the lemon, I promise. Corn syrup can do the identical job, however lemon juice is right as a result of it doesn’t improve sweetness.
- Cream: Heavy cream makes for a wealthy, creamy butterscotch sauce.
- Vanilla Extract: Be happy to make use of do-it-yourself vanilla extract right here, or vanilla bean paste.
- Scotch: That is optionally available, but it surely actually does elevate the flavour! In case you don’t wish to embrace it, you’ll be able to merely substitute additional vanilla instead.
- Salt: Similar to with making salted caramel, slightly salt works magic on this candy sauce.
As soon as your do-it-yourself butterscotch sauce is completed, let it cool to room temperature. You would additionally make it forward of time and retailer it within the fridge for a pair weeks.
Now it’s time to make the brown-sugar-sweetened cupcakes.
Substances You Want for Butterscotch Cupcakes
- Flour: All-purpose flour types the construction of those cupcakes.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leaveners assist the cupcakes stand up and get good and fluffy.
- Salt: Key for taste, and to steadiness the sweetness.
- Brown Sugar: We’re utilizing all brown sugar to sweeten these cupcakes, so count on the crumb to be slightly denser than, say, vanilla cupcakes.
- Melted Butter: I discover melted butter makes for a extra buttery-tasting cupcake than beginning with softened butter. Good for a butterscotch-flavored deal with!
- Egg: 1 egg provides richness and binds the components collectively.
- Bitter Cream: Vital for moisture.
- Milk: Complete milk will provide you with the best-tasting consequence, however you should use lower-fat or nondairy milk in a pinch.
- Vanilla: One other key taste.
This cupcake batter is customized from my strawberry shortcake cupcakes—solely they’re made with all brown sugar and an entire egg for richness and a golden colour. You’ll be able to substitute 2 egg whites when you’d like.
The method for making these cupcakes is easy. Whisk collectively dry components, whisk collectively moist components, after which mix the 2.
Success Tip: Don’t Overfill
You’ll have sufficient batter for 15 cupcakes, so line a regular 12-cup muffin pan after which a second one with 3 extra cupcake liners. Fill the liners simply 2/3 of the way in which full. Don’t attempt to match all of the batter into 12 cups as a result of the cupcakes will spill over the perimeters when baking, and also you’ll have an enormous sloppy mess to take care of!
They take nearly 20 minutes or so to bake, then the cupcakes want to chill utterly earlier than you fill and frost them.
Fill Cupcakes
As soon as the cupcakes are utterly cool, it’s time to fill them with butterscotch sauce.
You’ll be able to fill a piping bag fitted with an extended, skinny filling tip with the butterscotch sauce, or you’ll be able to merely carve out slightly gap in every cupcake with a paring knife and spoon the thickened butterscotch inside. I normally go together with the second technique.
To take action, use a pointy knife to chop a circle within the cupcake and take away the middle, which will likely be roughly the form of a cone. Utilizing a small spoon, fill the center of the cupcake with as a lot butterscotch sauce as you’ll be able to. (Often between 1–2 teaspoons.) Slice/tear off the pointed tip of the cone-shaped piece of cupcake, and gently press the spherical piece again on prime of the filling. You’ll have leftover butterscotch sauce that you should use to drizzle on the completed cupcakes.
Don’t fear about the way it appears to be like on prime, since you’ll cowl the highest with frosting!
In case you want additional assist with this step, see my Fill Cupcakes tutorial and video.
Frosting Decisions
For a traditional candy end, frost these butterscotch cupcakes with vanilla buttercream—that’s the frosting pictured.
In case you want one thing much less candy (since each the cupcakes and sauce are already fairly wealthy), attempt Swiss meringue buttercream, a lighter whipped frosting, and even one thing so simple as whipped cream. Personally, I really like them with Swiss meringue buttercream, although it does imply one other journey to the range.
Whichever you select, don’t neglect to drizzle the leftover butterscotch sauce on prime!
Extra Favourite Butterscotch Recipes
Description
Get pleasure from comfortable and tender brown sugar cupcakes stuffed with gooey do-it-yourself butterscotch sauce. Every chunk is buttery, wealthy, and loaded with toffee-like taste—like the most effective components of butterscotch pudding wrapped up in cupcake kind. Take your time making the butterscotch sauce and don’t skip the lemon juice. You’ll be able to select your personal frosting, resembling vanilla buttercream (pictured) or Swiss meringue buttercream. Different choices embrace not-so-sweet whipped frosting or gentle and fluffy whipped cream.
Butterscotch Sauce
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150g) darkish brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon recent lemon juice (don’t skip!)
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream (don’t use milk or half-and-half)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 2 teaspoons scotch, bourbon, or rum (see Word)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Cupcakes
- 1 and a couple of/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and barely cooled
- 1 cup (200g) packed gentle or darkish brown sugar
- 1 giant egg, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) bitter cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (180g/ml) complete milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
Frosting Choices
- Make the butterscotch sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium warmth, soften the butter with the brown sugar and lemon juice, whisking to mix. As soon as melted and mixed, slowly pour within the heavy cream, whisking continually. As soon as the cream has been included, cease whisking and let the combination come to a boil. Scale back the warmth to medium-low and let boil for 3–4 minutes. Take away from warmth and stir in vanilla extract, scotch (if utilizing), and salt. Enable to chill utterly. This makes slightly over 1 cup of butterscotch sauce, or about 250g.
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 3 liners—this recipe makes about 15 cupcakes. Put aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Put aside.
- In a big bowl, whisk collectively the melted butter and brown sugar till mixed and no lumps stay. Add the egg, bitter cream, milk, and vanilla, and whisk till mixed. Add the dry components into the moist components, and stir till mixed. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners—fill solely 2/3 full to keep away from spilling over the perimeters.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear.
- Cool the cupcakes within the pan set on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then take away them from the pan and place them instantly on the rack to chill utterly. Cupcakes should be utterly cool earlier than filling and frosting.
- Fill the cupcakes: Utilizing a pointy knife, lower a circle into the middle of the cooled cupcakes to create slightly pocket about 1 inch deep. The piece you eliminated will likely be type of cone-shaped. Spoon thickened and cooled butterscotch sauce inside every carved-out cupcake—use nevertheless a lot will match. (Often you’ll be able to match between 1–2 teaspoons of filling in every; you’ll have butterscotch sauce leftover to drizzle on prime of the frosting.) Slice/tear off the sharp finish of the “cone” piece of cupcake you eliminated, and gently press the spherical piece again on prime of the filling. See my Fill Cupcakes submit when you want additional visuals or assist with this step.
- Make the frosting: Comply with the steps to make your frosting of alternative. Choices embrace vanilla buttercream (pictured), Swiss meringue buttercream, and even one thing like not-so-sweet whipped frosting, or gentle and fluffy whipped cream.
- High every cupcake with frosting (I used a Wilton 1M tip to pipe the frosting) and drizzle with leftover cooled butterscotch sauce.
- Retailer cupcakes at room temperature for as much as 2 days or within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Retailer any leftover butterscotch sauce in a tightly sealed container/jar within the fridge for as much as 1 week. I like to recommend a cupcake provider for storing and transporting embellished cupcakes.
Notes
- Make Forward & Freezing Directions: Cupcakes might be made forward 1 day prematurely, lined, and saved at room temperature. Butterscotch sauce might be made prematurely and saved within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks. For finest outcomes, make the frosting the day you intend to serve the cupcakes. Unfilled, unfrosted cupcakes might be frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then fill and frost earlier than serving.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Medium Saucepan | 12-count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Squeeze Bottle | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) | Wilton 1M Piping Tip | Cupcake Service
- Lemon Juice in Butterscotch Sauce: This will likely seem to be a wierd ingredient to incorporate, but it surely helps stop crystallization. A bit splash of lemon juice helps maintain this sauce easy and velvety, so that you don’t find yourself with a grainy texture. I promise you’ll be able to’t style the lemon!
- Alcohol in Butterscotch Sauce: For depth of taste, I strongly suggest including 2 teaspoons of bourbon, scotch, or rum. All have barely totally different taste profiles, however I normally use scotch on this. If you wish to skip the alcohol, add 1 extra teaspoon of vanilla. (Not 2 extra teaspoons.)
- Complete Milk & Bitter Cream in Cupcakes: Complete milk and full-fat bitter cream are strongly advisable for the most effective style and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt (Greek or common) would work as a substitute, although the cupcakes might not be as gentle. Similar goes with a lower-fat milk. Nondairy milk works in a pinch.
- You’ll want to try my 10 suggestions for baking the BEST cupcakes earlier than you start.
