Brown Sugar Butterscotch Cupcakes

Name: Brown Sugar Butterscotch Cupcakes
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter; 3/4 cup (150g) dark brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (do not skip!); 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream (do not use milk or half-and-half); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste); 2 teaspoons scotch, bourbon, or rum (see Note); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar; 1 large egg, at room temperature; 1/4 cup (60g) sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature; 3/4 cup (180g/ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste); Vanilla buttercream (sweet) or Swiss meringue buttercream (not as sweet)

Instructions

Prep:40minCook:20min

Enjoy soft and tender brown sugar cupcakes filled with gooey homemade butterscotch sauce. Each bite is buttery, rich, and loaded with toffee-like flavor—like the best parts of butterscotch pudding wrapped up in cupcake form. Take your time making the butterscotch sauce and don't skip the lemon juice. You can choose your own frosting, such as vanilla buttercream (pictured) or Swiss meringue buttercream. Other options include not-so-sweet whipped frosting or light and fluffy whipped cream.

Updated at: Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:26:19 GMT