Brown Butter Frosting with Toasted Cake Crumbs
By Pauline Ortiz
15 min
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
24
Servings
Medium
Level
Bake in batches to frost 24 cupcakes. Toast the crumbled cupcake crumbs while cooling brown butter. I add swirls to frosting when it is at a stiff, dull peak. Brown butter gives the frosting a nutty flavor and caramel color.
Use a medium-size light-colored saucepan to melt the butter. The light color of the saucepan lets you see the milk solids under the foam darken as they cook in the butter. I discard the milk solids and other contents of the saucepan right away to avoid further browning and bitterness from the heat in the saucepan.
Brown the butter to a light, cloudy color before incorporating it. Beat the browned butter to a light, fluffy consistency. Gradually add sifted sugar at low speed to avoid collapsing the structure needed for piped frosting. Browned butter frosting with a liquid consistency is too gritty and soft to pipe high.
I frost tall cupcakes and coat them with crumbs using 1M or 2D tips, only the tops of the cupcakes are crumbed. The frosting can also be used as a filling in Filipino ensaymada. Other uses include peach cobbler with oatmeal crumble and key lime bundt cake.
What makes this special
- One batch of frosting will cover 24 cupcakes. A batch of frosting is enough to use for a party or other occasion or to frost a regular-size cupcake pan.
- The browned butter will cool while the cake crumbs brown. These two tasks happen at the same time.
- It helps create a stiffer peak in high-speed whipping if the butter is cold.
- Pipe frosting with a 1M or 2D tip. Dust the swirls with cooled, toasted crumbs.
- The brown bits contribute nutty flavor and a light brown color to the frosting.
- Leftover frosting can be warmed to room temperature and rewhipped for future use.
Ingredients
- •1 cup unsalted butter (226 g, high-quality)
- •4 cups confectioners' sugar (500 g, sifted)
- •1 tsp vanilla bean paste (5 ml)
- •¼ tsp fine sea salt (1.5 g)
- •2 tbsp heavy cream (2-3 tbsp (30-45 ml), cold)
- •¼ cup yellow sponge cake scraps (about 30 g, crumbled)
Instructions
- 1
Melt the butter in a medium light-colored saucepan over medium heat, and cook until the milk solids turn deep amber and smell nutty.
- 2
Pour the browned butter and all the brown bits into a heat-proof bowl immediately.
- 3
Chill the browned butter for about 45-60 minutes, until it is soft, opaque, and tan.
- 4
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
- 5
Crumble the cake scraps into fine, even pieces.
- 6
Spread the crumbs on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- 7
Toast the crumbs for 5-8 minutes, until golden-brown and crisp.
- 8
Cool the toasted crumbs completely.
- 9
Transfer the solidified brown butter to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- 10
Beat the butter on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until lighter in color and voluminous.
- 11
Add the sifted confectioners' sugar one cup at a time with the mixer on low speed.
- 12
Mix in the vanilla bean paste and sea salt.
- 13
Increase the mixer to medium speed and drizzle in the heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, stopping when the frosting is smooth and holds a stiff, sharp peak.
- 14
Pipe the frosting with a 1M or 2D tip, then sprinkle toasted cake crumbs only over the top peak.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
210
Reviews
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