Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

ByAudra
65 Comments
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Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

I’ve had this cupcake idea on the brain for years. Seriously. I mean it was possibly one of my first blog ideas when I started. I always knew it was something I wanted to try- but for the life of me I couldn’t conceive how to make it happen. Crême Bruleé has always been one of my favorite desserts, and it just seemed time for its creamy vanilla filling and crunchy burnt sugar topping to make it’s way into a cupcake.

If you’re searching for a delightful dessert that combines the creaminess of creme brûlée with the moist vanilla goodness of a cupcake, look no further. These crème brûlée cupcakes are the best way to satisfy your sweet tooth, and they come with a fun twist that’s sure to impress your friends and family. I discovered this delectable cupcake recipe during my culinary school days, and it has become one of my all-time favorite desserts.

To create these mouthwatering crème brûlée cupcakes, you’ll need a few key ingredients and some handy kitchen tools. Here’s how to make them step by step:

Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

Ingredients for Creme Brulee Cupcakes:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter, room temperature
  • Sugar
  • Buttermilk or sour cream
  • Whole milk
  • Cornstarch
  • Eggs and egg yolks
  • Butter
  • Vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste

Supplies needed for Creme Brûlée Cupcakes:

  • Kitchen Torch
  • Wire Rack for cooling
  • Cupcake tin
  • Mixing bowl and electric mixer

Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter and  sugar on low speed. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk/sour cream. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.
  5. Fill each cupcake liner two-thirds full with the cupcake batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cupcake comes out clean.
  6. While the cupcakes are baking, prepare the vanilla custard filling. In a medium-sized bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of the milk and set aside.
  7. Combine the rest of the milk with sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Whisk eggs into the milk/cornstarch mixture until smooth.
  8. Temper the eggs by pouring 1/3 of the boiling milk into the egg mixture in a steady stream with one hand, while gently stirring with the other hand. When mixed together add the milk/eggs back to the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
  9. Boil for one minute stirring constantly until mixture is thick, bubbly, and able to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.
  10. Transfer to a cool container, press some plastic wrap directly on the cream and chill immediately.
  11. Once the cupcakes and custard filling have cooled, use a cupcake corer or a paring knife to hollow out the center of each cupcake.
  12. Fill the center of each cupcake with the vanilla custard, making sure it reaches the top of the cupcake.
  13. To create the creme brulee topping, sprinkle a generous pinch of sugar on top of each cupcake. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize the sugar until it forms a thin layer of burnt sugar.
  14. Enjoy your delicious cupcakes! The first bite will take you on a journey of creamy custard and moist vanilla cupcake. It’s a dessert that’s sure to impress anyone lucky enough to taste it.

Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

These crème brûlée cupcakes are not only a delightful treat but also a creative way to enjoy the classic French dessert. The caramelized sugar on top adds a delightful crunch and a touch of elegance to the cupcakes, making them perfect for special occasions or as a sweet indulgence any time of the year. Whether you’re a creme brulee fan or a cupcake lover, these cupcakes are bound to become your new favorite dessert.

For the best results, store any leftover cupcakes in an air-tight container, and don’t forget to savor those caramel shards on top. So, give this recipe a try and let these crème brûlée cupcakes be the star of your next gathering. Your friends and family will be asking for more, and you’ll be hailed as the cupcake master in no time!

Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

Crême Bruleé Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For cupcakes:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 T buttermilk

For pastry cream:

  • 1 pint whole milk, 2 cups
  • 6 T cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 oz butter
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract, or a whole pod
  • pinch of salt
  • .
  • granulated sugar for bruleéd topping

Instructions

For the cupcakes:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with liners; set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated; scrape down sides of bowl, and beat in vanilla.
  3. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. After each addition mix until just incorporated. The final batter should be smooth with no streaks of flour or buttermilk, but don't over-mix! Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
  4. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until tops spring back when touched, about 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then remove the cupcakes from the tin and allow to fully cool on wire rack.

For the Pastry Cream:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup of the milk and set aside.
  2. Combine the rest of the milk with sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
  3. Whisk eggs into the milk/cornstarch mixture until smooth.
  4. Temper the eggs by pouring 1/3 of the boiling milk into the egg mixture in a steady stream with one hand, while gently stirring with the other hand. When mixed together add the milk/eggs back to the saucepan with the rest of the milk.
  5. Boil for one minute stirring constantly until mixture is thick, bubbly, and able to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
  6. Remove from the heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.
  7. Transfer to a cold container, press some plastic wrap directly on the cream and chill immediately.

To assemble:

  1. Use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped hole into the center of each cupcake. Use a spoon or piping bag to fill each cupcake with pastry cream, as well as frosting the top with a thick layer.
  2. Sprinkle sugar all over the pastry cream, and use a kitchen torch to bruleé the sugar until it is golden and caramelized.
  3. Serve immediately. (You can fill and frost them and keep the chilled until you are ready to bruleé the tops, but the sugar will melt and get soft if it sits for too long.)

Notes

Vanilla cupcake recipe adapted slightly from: Martha Stewart Pastry Cream recipe adapted from from: Cook'n with Class (my Paris baking school.)

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Audra

65 Comments

  2. Great minds think alike! Creme brulee cupcakes have forever been on my to-bake list too, so I need to try these! I’ve been struggling with the logistics of it as well, but it looks like you nailed it :) Pinned!

    Reply

  3. This is pretty much the most brilliant idea ever! How is it that I’ve never thought about this myself?! Creme Bruleè is one of my absolute favorite desserts and making it in cupcake-form…wow! The best combo ever!

    xo, Elisa

    Reply

  5. Ok, the description of you biting into these and the combination of crunchy burnt sugar, creamy pastry cream, and fluffy cake!? I need some of these ASAP!

    Reply

  6. This is such a fun idea Audra! I wouldn’t struggled with executing these, but yours look perfect :) Can’t wait to try ’em!

    Reply

  15. Wow, this is an ingenious idea. I would have never thought of making a creme brule type cake. It looks really delicious! :)

    Reply

  16. I’ve been wanting to make these for ages as well! I found a recipe which was called creme brulee cupcakes, but they were not like this! I love how these have proper pastry cream inside. Have to make your cupcakes now, they’re way better than the other recipe I found!! :)

    Reply

  17. Creme brûlée is definitely in my top three favorite desserts so this cupcake is definitely calling my name. I love the translation of this lovely dessert into cupcake form. Brilliant!

    Reply

    2. Oh you asked for the butane not the torch. I get mine at a random little convenience store nearby my apartment!

      Reply

  30. I made these cupcakes, and while they tasted delish, the topping did not turn out as pretty as yours. How much sugar do I need to sprinkle on each cupcake top to get the creme brulee look and crack of the spoon?!

    Reply

    1. Hey Vickie- sorry if that was unclear in the recipe. You really need every bit of pastry cream to be covered in sugar in order for it to caramelize properly. I will edit the recipe to note that :)

      Reply

  32. WOW! These look absolutely incredible and with the perfect about of crisp burnt sugar on top. I am glad you kept thinking them over since starting the blog, worked them out and shared them with us!

    Reply

  33. YES. These look like the most perfect cupcake remix of creme brulee. I can’t wait to make these.

    P.S. It was nice to briefly meet you at food blog forum!

    Reply

  34. Yummmm! Thanks for the inspiration. I love creme brulee! Nothing trumps caramelized sugar!

    Reply

  37. Made these this weekend for a friend’s birthday dinner and they turned out fabulous! Added some homemade raspberry sauce and a few fresh raspberries on the plate and they were perfect! Thanks for the great instructions!

    Reply

  39. Can this be made without a torch, maybe a broiler? I so how long, temperature, etc. thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hi Grace- I really don’t recommend it because broilers tend to burn things really quickly. I’d suggest getting a kitchen torch- they are cheap and so fun to use!

      Reply

  40. Cupcakes came out wonderfully delicious but I think we struggled a bit with the pastry cream. It was our first ever attempt at making pastry cream so I kind of expected we’d have issues. Ours looks perfect but smells super eggy. We tempered and found no scramble in the mixture but I just know something must have went wrong. All in all, the cupcakes really came out great for our first attempt but need to figure out what may have caused the cream to be so eggy! Great recipe!

    Reply

  41. Hi there! Awsome recepe!! Everyone at home loved it the first time but the second and third not so much, the pastry came out a little soft, is the “T” for the cornstarch for tablespoon? I used teaspoon and I’m thinking that was my mistake. Thanks!!

    Reply

  43. Hi, what does the T for the buttermilk and cornstarch stand for? Also, how long can I keep the assembled cupcakes in room temperature?

    Reply

  44. I was wowed by a wonderful creme brulee cupcake during a visit to a cafe (Molly’s Cupcakes) on Bleecker Street in NYC, last year. Your recipe looked like my chance to recreate this!! So far I just tried making the pastry creme and it turned out way too thick, I think. Just checking whether the 6 Tablespoons of corn starch might be a misprint. I will toss my solid ‘blob’ and try again with way less cornstarch.
    With a slight adjustment, I know I will be on the road to a heavenly creation!
    Thanks for the inspiration!!

    Reply

    1. That is what I used but you’re not the first person to mention the filling being too thick. I have made these 3x and it always works out well! If you have success with less please let me know your results and I will make a note.

      Reply

  45. hi, these look amazing!
    I wanted to know if they can be made the night before and served the following day or will the crunchy top turn soggy in the fridge?

    Reply

    1. Everything but but bruleé topping can be done in advance, but in order for that party to be crunchy you’d want to wait until right before serving

      Reply

  47. How far in advance can the pastry cream be made in advance. I made a double batch this weekend (it turned out AMAIZING btw) but now I have left overs. If I keep it refrigerated Can I use the rest next weekend for the filling for another cake? Is 7 days pushing it or will it still be good?
    Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  48. Hello Audra,
    I live in Australia, and I’m wondering whether your measurements are US measurements?
    Do you have this recipe in weights by any chance?

    Thank you,
    Ollie

    Reply

  49. I made these and when I torch, my chilled pastry creme is melting, any suggestions?

    Reply

  50. Made these cupcakes with high hopes- loved the pastry cream filling but not a fan of the cupcakes; tasted like thick pancakes. Will be altering my cupcake recipe using this filling!

    Reply

  51. I am thinking of making them for my class at school and I was wondering if I can freeze the cupcakes without the pastry cream going wonky.

    Reply

    1. I would freeze the actual cupcakes and then keep the pastry cream in the fridge. Assemble cupcakes when ready to serve!

      Reply

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