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finished pancake cupcake with browned butter maple frosting

Pancake Cupcakes with Browned Butter Maple Frosting

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Chill Time for Browned Butter 1 hour
Servings 18

Ingredients
  

Pancake Cupcakes

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk Or 2 cups milk mixed with 2 tablespoons vinegar
  • 1/2 cup butter melted but not hot
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla

Browned Butter Maple Frosting

  • 1 cup butter browned and then chilled in the fridge until solid again
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2-4 Tbsp milk or heavy cream for texture

Instructions
 

For Browned Butter

  • Cut your (1 cup unsalted) butter into smaller chunks. Place in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat (You can use medium heat, but be careful not to burn your butter!)
  • Stir your butter so it melts consistently. Eventually, you will see that the butter starts to foam and froth on the top. Keep stirring.
  • Then, you will see flecks of solidified milk fat floating around in your butter. Keep stirring.
  • Finally, the butter will start to foam again, but with less vigor than before. Keep stirring and checking on the color of your butter.
  • Your butter is browned when it achieves an amber color and you can see little brown specks on the bottom. The specks are kind of hard to see due to the foam on the top, you have to move the foam to be able to see.
  • Remove the pot from the heat and let the butter cool a little.
  • Place browned butter in a bowl and let chill in the fridge until it is solid again, about one hour.

For Pancake Cupcakes

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
  • In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes light and fluffy
  • Fill the cupcake liners about three-fourths full with the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean

For Browned Butter Maple Frosting

  • When your browned butter has solidified again in the fridge, remove it from the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to make sure you scrape out every little bit you can!
  • Place browned butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and maple syrup in a large mixing bowl. Mix until everything is well combined.
  • Add milk or heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until your frosting reaches the consistency you want.
  • Put frosting in a piping bag with a piping tip and pipe onto cooled cupcakes