Browned Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes with Biscoff Cream Cheese Frosting

I’ve had these cupcakes in mind to make since the beginning of September. Unfortunately, I was missing one main component for the recipe – the pumpkin. By the time I finally got my hands on some pumpkin, my fall baking list was a mile long, and I completely forgot about them until just recently. My stepmom and sister usually come over every Sunday night to watch True Blood or Bridezillas or The Vampire Diaries highly educational, sophisticated television programs with me, and I always make us something sweet. When I texted my sister last week to see what she was in the mood for, she said “anything pumpkin,” which immediately reminded me of these cupcakes.

If you’re not familiar with Biscoff Spread, this is what it looks like:

It’s made from Biscoff cookies (I guess the kind they serve on Delta flights? I don’t know from experience, but that’s what I’ve heard), and it tastes spicy and sweet, sort of like a gingersnap but BETTER. I thought putting some of it in the frosting would be the perfect complement to the cupcakes. It turned out to be a really delicious combination!

The cupcakes themselves are dense and moist, more like a muffin in texture than a cupcake, and the browned butter gives them an intense, nutty flavor. They’re not too sweet on their own, so they need a really sweet frosting, and this one is perfect. These were a huge hit, and my sister even said these cupcakes were her favorite out of all the desserts I’ve made.

Browned Butter Pumpkin Cupcakes with Biscoff Cream Cheese Frosting
cupcakes adapted from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes; frosting is my recipe

For the cupcakes:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs

For the frosting:

1 stick butter, softened
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 cup Biscoff Spread
1 pound powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper liners. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown. Skim foam from top, and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind; let cool.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs, and browned butter mixture. Add the flour mixture, and whisk until just combined.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.

4. To make the frosting, cream together the butter, cream cheese and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Add in Biscoff Spread and mix well. Add powdered sugar to desired consistency. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.