Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Brown Butter Glaze

I had some buttermilk left over from a baking job (buttermilk is expensive!!) so I consulted my trusty Martha Stewart cupcake book to find a new cupcake recipe to use it up. This recipe for brown sugar pound cake jumped out at me because 1) it used buttermilk, 2) it was a simple recipe because I was also in a time jam and 3) the brown butter glaze just sounded sinfully delicious. This pound cake is rich and a little bit dense, but more tender because of the buttermilk. The brown sugar gives it a hint of a caramel flavor and the glaze, also a nutty caramel flavor, a bit on the sweet side, but is the perfect compliment to the pound cake. Be careful. Keeping them around might make you gain a few pounds. :) Delicious.

For the pound cake:

Ingredients

-3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
-2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
-4 large eggs, room temperature
-3/4 cup buttermilk
-Brown-Butter Glaze

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

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 in incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

Add four mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, Filling each cup 3/4 full.

Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until golden brown and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, for about 25 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool, 10 mins; 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.

Make the brown sugar glaze. Set rack with cupcakes over a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon glaze over tops, and let stand until set. Serve glazed cupcakes immediately.


For the brown sugar glaze:

ingredients

-1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
-2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
-2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
-2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown or nut brown color, swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and carefully pour butter into a bowl, leaving burned sediment behind.
Add sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk to butter, and stir until smooth. If glaze is too thick, add more milk. Use immediately.

Spoon the glaze over the cupcakes.

Enjoy!!