Description

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes are a delightful fusion of classic crème brûlée and a moist cupcake. These elegant desserts feature a soft vanilla cupcake filled with creamy vanilla custard, topped with a crisp, caramelized sugar crust. Perfect for special occasions or a fancy treat, these cupcakes combine a tender crumb, luscious custard filling, and a satisfying caramel topping for a decadent experience.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcake Batter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk

Filling and Topping

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup prepared vanilla custard or pastry cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar (for topping)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners to ensure easy removal and cleanup.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined to ensure your cupcakes rise perfectly and have a uniform texture.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which will help create a tender crumb.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition for even distribution. Then stir in the vanilla extract to infuse the batter with classic flavor.
Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Alternately add the dry flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cupcakes soft and tender.
Fill and Bake: Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool Completely: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool fully on a wire rack, which prevents the custard from melting during filling.
Core and Fill: Use a small knife or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Fill the hollowed space with approximately one teaspoon of vanilla custard or pastry cream, then smooth the top surface.
Caramelize Sugar Topping: Evenly sprinkle about one teaspoon of granulated sugar over each filled cupcake. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar, melting it to form a crisp, golden crust characteristic of crème brûlée. Alternatively, you can briefly broil the sugared cupcakes in the oven, watching carefully to avoid burning.
Set and Serve: Let the caramelized sugar topping set for a minute or two until it hardens before serving to enjoy the contrast of textures.

Notes

If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can caramelize the sugar toppings by broiling the sugared cupcakes briefly in the oven; watch closely to prevent burning.
Store un-torched filled cupcakes in the refrigerator and caramelize the sugar just before serving to maintain the best texture and freshness.
Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before filling to prevent the custard from melting or leaking.