Description
These Crème Brûlée Cupcakes combine the rich, custardy flavors of crème brûlée with a light and fluffy vanilla cupcake. Topped with a creamy pastry cream and a caramelized sugar crust, these cupcakes bring the best of both worlds into a single, decadent dessert!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Vanilla Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the Pastry Cream Filling:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
For the Brûlée Topping:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for caramelizing)
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Pastry Cream Filling:
- In a saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until warm (but not boiling).
- In a separate bowl, whisk sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until smooth.
- Slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
- Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 2–3 minutes).
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter, then transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap (pressing it onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate until cool.
Assemble the Cupcakes:
- Once cupcakes and pastry cream are fully cooled, use a small knife or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake.
- Spoon or pipe pastry cream into the hollowed-out centers.
Brûlée the Tops:
- Sprinkle about ½ teaspoon of sugar evenly over the top of each cupcake.
- Using a kitchen torch, caramelize the sugar until it turns golden brown and crisp. Let the sugar harden before serving.
Notes
- If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can broil the cupcakes for 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Store cupcakes in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.
- For extra flair, top with a dollop of whipped cream or fresh berries!