Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

I’m aware that the food world has no shortage of pumpkin cupcake recipes, but I’m sharing this one anyway. It’s my favorite because it doesn’t err on the “muffiny” side.  It is truly a pumpkin cupcake, and I cannot recommend them enough.  Make them!  Need some convincing?

• Sour cream.  It does magical things to cake batter.  Any cupcake with sour cream as an ingredient is my favorite cupcake, and this one has it. 
• Brown butter is pretty amazing in anything, but mix it up with pumpkin and spices… swoon.  
• You won’t even have to break out the electric mixer for the cake batter.  If you have a whisk, a large bowl and a spoon – you’re good to go.
• Cooked cinnamon frosting. From the Red Hook guys, no less.

And what about those postage stamp cupcake banners?  My intentions were to fill this post with fall reminders (leaves, pine cones, & gourds) but the muse led elsewhere.

Elsewhere just happened to be in a bag of international postage stamps.

Used international postage stamps can be purchased inexpensively at bookstores. They usually hang out in the collectibles section with the coin portfolios, and come in a bag of 300 for about six dollars.  If you can’t find them at a bookstore, there are plenty to be had on Etsy for just a few dollars.  I think they are so beautiful!  The bags are full of duplicates so you won’t mind using a few for crafting purposes. Cut a triangle-shaped notch from the end of two stamps that are attached (or one large one) and glue it to a toothpick.  Easy!

Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes 

with Cinnamon Frosting

Yield:  About 24
cupcakes                                                                                                              [click for printable version]

Cake:

¾ cup unsalted butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. allspice

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 ½ cups pumpkin puree

3 large eggs

½ cup sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
   Line cupcake tins with papers.
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the
   butter turns golden brown. Pour the browned butter into a small bowl and let
   stand until cool but not solidified.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon,
   ginger, salt and allspice.  Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups of pumpkin puree with the
   granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and sour cream until well combined.  Stir in the flour mixture until just
   combined.  Whisk in the browned butter
   until well blended.  
5. Divide batter between cupcake liners.  Fill them about half full.
6. Bake cupcakes for 20-25 minutes, or until they spring back
   when pressed in the middle.

Cinnamon Frosting 

From Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, soft but cool, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. In a medium saucepan, whisk the sugar and flour together.
   Add the milk and heavy cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally
   until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, about 20 minutes.
2. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted
   with the paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce the speed to
   low and add the butter; beat until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed
   to medium-high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla
   and cinnamon and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft,
   transfer the bowl to the refrigerator to chill slightly, and then beat again
   until it is the proper consistency. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl
   over a pot of simmering water and beat with a wooden spoon until it is the
   proper consistency.