Brown Sugar Pound Cakes

I have been having some personal issues that needed legal action - and one of my friends was so helpful. I couldn't of done what I did without him.  So to thank him, I decided to make some treats for him and his wife.  He said it wasn't necessary, he was just glad to help out a friend.  But he had helped me so much I felt like I had to repay him the best way I knew how.  I emailed his wife to see if she would be at work so I could drop off the treats (unknown to him), and when I heard back that she would be working, I got to baking.

Now, I didn't know what to make - chocolate? Peanut butter? Coconut?  Some people are really picky with treats - so I figured go simple and with something that everyone likes - pound cake.  Pound cake in the shape of cupcakes :)  I pull out my Martha Stewart's Cupcakes Cookbook and get to baking.

Super simple batter - really can't go wrong with a pound cake recipe.  All ready to go



look at all the batter!

I scoop it out into the cupcake tins



ready to go into
the oven

And I bake them off.  Once all cooled and ready to get frosted - I get excited.  I LOVE this frosting.  It's so good.  My dad is a HUGE fan of it.  It's a brown butter frosting.  Basically you burn some butter - and it's fun doing it.  I get the butter to a nice brown color and then pour it into a bowl.




that bowl will never
be the same


Clearly, I wasn't thinking because I poured it into a plastic bowl I use all the time.  The butter was super hot - and warped my bowl a little bit :(  So now it looks fat and pregnant, but still good to be used.  I add everything to the butter and the frosting is ready! Spoon a little over each cupcake and then let the frosting set a little.



Sinfully good

  
Here you go my Yeasties! Bake away :)

Brown Sugar Pound Cakes

makes 28

3 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, room temp

2 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

4 large eggs, room temp

3/4 cup buttermilk

Brown-Butter Icing

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.  Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorportated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quaters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.  Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.
4. To finish, place cupcakes on a wire rack set over a baking sheet; spoon icing over cupcakes and let set.  Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are glazed; keep at room temperature until ready to serve.

Brown-Butter Icing

makes 1 cup

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter

2 cups sifted confectioners sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk, plus more if needed

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally, until nut-brown in color, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, and pour butter into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.
2. Add confectioners sugar, vanilla and 2 tbsp milk to brown butter; stir until smooth.  If necessary, add more milk (up to 2 tbsp) a little at a time, just until icing is spreadable.  Use immediately.