One of my new favorite things is brown butter. It’s so nutty and sweet and has the most unique warm flavors. I want to put it in and on everything – pasta, rice kirspies treats, and this perfect fall frosting. I made my favorite pumpkin cupcake recipe a couple weekends ago for a party but I wanted to do something different than a plain cream cheese frosting. Remembered my love for brown butter. Adding extra cinnamon. And voilà! I think I just whipped up the best frosting ever.

Seriously. Best. It would also go well with a great vanilla cake or banana cake. So go make this frosting soon…and report back. Do you love the brown butter as much as I do?

Pumpkin Cupcakes

(Adapted from Ina Garten in House Beautiful)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice mix
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups canned pumpkin purée (8 ounces), not pie filling
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, pumpkin, sugars, and oil. Slowly add the flour mixture until fully combined.
4. Divide batter into cups and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Cinnamon Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 2  8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1. Brown the butter, then set aside to cool completely. (It might look congealed a little but it’s ok to use.)
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat browned butter and cream cheese. Add in cinnamon and vanilla.
3. Slowly incorporate confectioners’ sugar until sweetened to your liking. Frost cupcakes.

*Forgive the crappy photos, I baked these during a day of drinking at a beer festival :)

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