This recipe for Crème Brûlée Cupcakes is truly something special with rich soft and custardy vanilla cake filled and topped with my ultimate pastry cream. The pastry cream recipe is one of my best kept secrets (well, not anymore!) because it uses a one pot method and it forms the filling AND the frosting for these cupcakes. Then to complete the crème brûlée theme, the chilled cakes are dipped in sugar and torched until perfectly and deeply caramelized. The sugar will form a hard cracking shell to give way to smooth silky and creamy vanilla bean custard. These cupcakes are definitely show stoppers and deserve to be served at special occasions. If you love making cupcakes and are searching for the perfect simple vanilla cake for any occasion, check out my BEST Best Vanilla Cupcake Recipe, check out my One Bowl Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Frosting. If you prefer chocolate cakes, here's my recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Tender yellow vanilla cupcakes - these cupcakes are tender and soft with a custardy flavor to complement the pastry cream that adorns it.
- Buttery soft - butter adds wonderful flavor to these vanilla cupcakes, and oil is essential to helping them stay soft since it is a liquid fat. Butter is a solid fat which means that butter cakes are delicious while warm, but can be slightly firm when once cooled.
- Luscious vanilla bean pastry cream - this is my ultimate recipe for vanilla pastry cream or custard which, as a pastry chef, I use all the time!
- Easy one pot custard recipe - the pastry cream uses a simple method so you don't need to temper eggs. Just mix everything in one pot and cook while stirring.
- Cracking caramelized sugar topping - the caramelized sugar on top completes these little cakes inspired by a classic French dessert.
INGREDIENTS FOR CREME BRULEE CUPCAKES
Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- All purpose flour - you do not need specialty cake flour to make wonderful cupcakes. Just be sure to measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake and leads to tough and dry cake. The most accurate way to measure flour is using a scale. If you don't have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off.
- Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean so the vanilla shines. Bonus points if you use extra fine (caster) sugar which will create an even lighter texture.
- Pure vanilla extract - you can use inexpensive flour, milk and even butter but it is nice to have good vanilla for this recipe! It's the main flavor so you want it to taste great. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract. I actually prefer using a vanilla bean pod for this recipe, so if you have one and you've been waiting for the right recipe to use it, then this is it!
- Unsalted butter - butter brings the flavor! I couldn't make rich custardy vanilla cupcakes without butter. Make sure it is completely softened to room temperature.
- Oil - just a bit of oil is my secret to making soft cupcakes. Oil is liquid at room temperature while butter has more solid fats. That means if I were to use all butter, the cupcakes would have a firmer texture. Oil will help bring down the fat melting profile so that these cupcakes stay soft. You can use any neutral oil like sunflower oil or canola oil.
- Egg - two whole eggs will provide structure, lift and of course flavor to these cakes.
- Milk - you can use whole milk at 3.25% or 2% milk. I would avoid anything with less fat content than that (i.e. avoid skim milk).
- Pastry cream - the first step is to make homemade pastry cream which is the essence of these crème brûlée cupcakes. You'll fill the cupcakes with it and then use it as the frosting as well. It needs to be completely chilled and set so make sure you make it at least 4 hours ahead or a day in advance.
- Raw, turbinado sugar - this is important to form the iconic caramelized cracking sugar layer on top.
- Kitchen Torch - this is not an ingredient, but an important tool for this recipe. Here is the one I use. It is inexpensive and very safe!
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
- STEP 1). First prepare the pastry cream. Make my Easy One Pot Vanilla Pastry Cream recipe found here. Let it set and chill thoroughly. You can make this up to 2 days in advance.
- STEP 2). Make the cupcake batter. Cream the butter and sugar. Combine soft butter with sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for about 3 minutes on medium-high speed until pale, light and fluffy.
- STEP 3). Beat in egg. Add one egg and beat until well incorporated. Add the other egg and beat until evenly combined, smooth and creamy.
- STEP 4). Combine wet ingredients. Whisk together milk and oil in a volumetric measuring jug or a small bowl.
- STEP 5). Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until mostly incorporated. Add half of the milk mixture and beat until well blended, 10-15 seconds. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture followed by the last of the milk mixture on medium speed just until the batter is smooth, but do not over beat. Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat for 5 seconds to emulsify the batter.
- STEP 6). Bake. Divide the batter among prepared muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring individually to the rack to cool completely.
- STEP 7). Fill the cupcakes. Using a sharp paring knife, cut out a small cone in the center of each cooled cupcake, being careful not to cut too deep (cut just to the center of the cupcake). Spoon the custard into the center to fill the well of each cupcake and then spoon another dollop of custard over the tops, dividing it evenly among them. Use a small off-set spatula to spread the custard to the edges. Place cupcakes on a baking sheet and refrigerate until custard is firm and the surface has dried out a bit, about 15 minutes.
- STEP 8). Torch the cupcakes. Gently dip the tops in coarse/raw sugar, and then flame with a torch until caramelized. Don't be alarmed if you torch the paper liners a bit because I do it all the time and it's kinda fun - the singed edges add character. Let the sugar harden and serve immediately.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use very soft (but not melted) butter. Take your butter out of the fridge two hours before you plan to bake. I usually take mine out the night before if it's not a hot day. It should be nice and soft but not melted to whip properly with the sugar during the initial "creaming" step.
- Do not over-bake. The cupcakes are ready when they spring back when pressed gently and a skewer comes out clean. They will not get very browned on the top, just lightly golden so don't wait for browning.
- Have eggs at room temperature. Take your egg out of the fridge 2 hours before baking, or place it in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes before making the cupcake batter.
- Gradually add the wet and dry ingredients. Alternating additions of dry ingredients and milk will help ensure that the ingredient incorporate smoothly without over-mixing.
- Do not over-mix, but DO mix! Just mix in the dry ingredients and wet ingredients until just combined between additions, and then mix on medium-high speed at the very end to emulsify the batter. An emulsified batter is the secret to the soft texture.
- Use a kitchen scale. For best results, weigh your ingredients according to the measurements in the recipe card below using a kitchen scale.
- Use coarse sugar for the brulée topping. Regular granulated sugar will dissolve too quickly into the custard and it will be more difficult to achieve that cracking caramelized sugar crust.
RECIPE FAQ
Firstly - use a fresh oil! Do not use anything that's been opened for a long time and when you store oil, it should be in a cool dark place. Light and heat accelerate oxidation reactions that can make the flavor turn rancid. My oil of choice for baking is sunflower oil for its clean and neutral taste, but any other oil such as canola or safflower will do.
Pastry cream is a very effective use of vanilla bean because you really notice the benefits of it - cream (dairy) really helps to extract and showcase the wonderful and expensive flavors of a fresh vanilla pod. However, if you can't find one or you don't want to dish out for one, you can absolutely substitute with 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Just make sure you stir it in at the end so that you don't lose any volatile flavors from the heat.
Once the centers are springy and a toothpick comes out clean the cupcakes are ready. The do not get very brown, just lightly golden around the edges.
It's not more fat! Moisture comes from liquid, not fat. So you can add more butter and more oil, but it will really just make the cake more dense and more tender by shortening the texture. Fat will not make a cake moist as only liquids can add moisture. This cake is moist because of the amount of liquid.
A bit of oil makes the texture very soft and in turn gives the perception of "moistness". That's because oil is made up of mostly unsaturated fats that are liquid at room temperature. Butter contains more saturated fats that are solid at room temperature, therefore the texture of a butter cake will be more crumbly and firm.
These cupcakes bake up with beautiful soft domes. If your cakes baked up flat or sink in the middle, it may be that your raising agents are no longer active, so be sure to use fresh baking soda and fresh baking powder. It may also be that you happened to add too much raising agents and the gases reacted so fast that they escaped the batter before it could set.
It is important to use coarse sugar like a type of raw sugar or turbinado sugar with a large granulation. Fine granulated sugar will dissolve too quickly into the custard and it will be difficult to achieve the hard candy shell on top.
Yes you can make the cupcakes (without the filling) up to one day in advance and store them at room temperature (do not refrigerate). The next day you can fill them and top them before serving.
STORING AND FREEZING
These cupcakes must be stored in the refrigerator since they have a custard filling which can spoil. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can wrap and freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to three months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place in a resealable freezer bag for storage.
If you love cupcakes, check out these recipes!
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Crème Brûlée Cupcakes
Ingredients
Pastry cream filling & topping:
- 1 x recipe Easy One Pot Vanilla Pastry Cream
- ½ cup (100g) coarse sugar such as raw, turbinado or sanding sugar
Cupcake batter:
- 6 tablespoon (84g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon (7ml) pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (3g) cornstarch
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (95ml) whole milk
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) sunflower oil (you can also use canola oil or vegetable oil)
NOTE: for best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
- Make the pastry cream filling following the instructions in this post. NOTE: I recommend making this a day in advance. In a small 1-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn starch and flour and whisk to blend evenly so there are no lumps of starch or flour. Very slowly begin to whisk in the cream so that it blends smoothly with the starch/sugar mixture. Once all the cream is added, you can pour in the milk and whisk well. Add egg yolks one a time and whisk them in evenly before each addition. Massage the vanilla bean to soften it and loosing the little seeds inside. Split it in half lengthwise using a sharp paring knife and scrape out those little seeds from both sides. Add the seeds to the pot and then add the scraped bean/pod as well.
- Place the sauce pot over medium-low heat and whisk constantly until it starts to thicken. Be patient as this can take up to 10 minutes. Increase the heat slightly to medium if necessary, but do not walk away from the pan and do not stop stirring as it can easily catch and scorch at the bottom of the pan.
- Once the mixture starts to thicken, lower the heat and watch carefully. Once it starts to bubble, let it bubble for just 5 seconds while stirring then immediately transfer it to a clean bowl. NOTE: you can pass it through a fine mesh sieve to remove any curdled egg pieces if you are so inclined. Add butter and stir it in until melted and evenly incorporated. If you're using vanilla extract instead of the pod, then you can stir it in at this point. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the custard to cover it and refrigerate for at least 4 hours until thoroughly chilled.
- Make the cupcake batter. Sift flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine soft butter with sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for about 3 minutes on medium-high speed until pale, light and fluffy. Add one egg and beat until well incorporated. Add the other egg and beat until evenly combined, smooth and creamy.
- Whisk together milk and oil in a volumetric measuring jug or a small bowl.
- Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until mostly incorporated. Add half of the milk mixture and beat until well blended, 10-15 seconds. Beat in half of the remaining flour mixture followed by the last of the milk mixture on medium speed just until the batter is smooth, but do not over beat. Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat for 5 seconds to emulsify the batter.
- Divide the batter among prepared muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool for 5 minutes in the pan before transferring individually to the rack to cool completely.
- Fill the cupcakes. Using a sharp paring knife, cut out a small cone in the center of each cooled cupcake, being careful not to cut too deep (cut just to the center of the cupcake). Snack on the cut-outs.
- Spoon the custard into the center to fill the well of each cupcake and then spoon another dollop of custard over the tops, dividing it evenly among them. Use a small off-set spatula to spread the custard to the edges. Place cupcakes on a baking sheet and refrigerate until custard is firm and the surface has dried out a bit, about 15 minutes. Gently dip the tops in coarse/raw sugar, and then flame with a kitchen torch until caramelized. Don't be alarmed if you torch the paper liners a bit because I do it all the time and it's kinda fun - the singed edges add character. Let the sugar harden and serve immediately. If the cupcakes sit for too long before they are served, the hard sugar layer will become soft as it dissolves into the custard, but it will still have an incredibly complex burnt sugar flavor.
D
Hi!! I really want to try this recipe but make it as a cake instead for my birthday 🙂 Do you think it would be fine to use the cupcake recipe as is but just put it in an 8 inch tin? Or do you think it would need additional tweaking?
christina.marsigliese
Hi D! I think it will work in an 8in as long as you adjust the baking time.
Ellie
Hi!! I love this recipe so much it’s delicious but I was wondering I only have cake flour on hand. How would that change the ingredients? Could I just substitute the flour exact amount or no? Please help! Thank you!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Ellie! Yes it should work, but I would recommend unbleached cake flour.
Joe
A really simple recipe that’s bound to impress, will be making these again! One issue I found though was my cupcakes came out quite dense, and I’m wondering which of the below substitutions/amendments may have caused it: 1) I cooked them in a fan oven at 155C (~310F) as my oven annoyingly does not cook evenly across the tray on conventional settings or 2) I substituted the canola oil with melted butter (I thought I didn’t have any then realised it’s called rapeseed oil in the UK!)
Grant
These tasted great, but my pastry cream turned out super runny. Any ideas on what I might have done wrong?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Grant, did you weigh your ingredients? It could be runny if there isn't enough starch, or that there was too much sugar or it wasn't cooked enough. It needs to bubble to activate the corn starch. Was it smooth? It will also be runny if it is over-cooked and becomes curdled. I hope this helps.
Leslee
My pastry cream turned out running as well. I did weigh my ingredients. I'm wondering if there's any way I can fix the cream by cooking it some more. It's already been in the refrigerator. Do you think that would work?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Leslee, it could be that you over-cooked it which breaks down the starch, or that you added too much liquid or the eggs are old.
L
Cook on low for at 15 minutes... then it will start to thicken... but don't leave... or bilnk.. it happens fast..
Noreen
This is a definite MUST try. On July 27th, it's National Creme Brulee Day and I'm going to a gathering on the same day where the theme for the meal is Stuff It! (all foods will be stuffed). 😁These will be perfect!👍
christina.marsigliese
That sounds like a fantastic event and I wish I was invited lol
Mariam
Hi. I look forward to trying this recipe soon. Would you recommend switching the milk to buttermilk or not really? Thank you for the recipe <3
christina.marsigliese
Hi Mariam! I have tested it, but the batter will be thicker and the cupcakes may not brown as much.
Nia
This recipe is amazing. I won't stop talking about it and everyone I've made it for won't stop talking about it. Make this recipe!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Nia!
Dan
The instruction to serve immediately after torching is key. Mine sat for 20 minutes and lost the iconic brulee crackle yet still tasted incredible. Will torch next time table side.
christina.marsigliese
Hi Dan, yes for sure. The moisture in the custard will dissolve the sugar so it important to torch just before serving. You can keep the custard-topped cakes in the fridge uncovered (it will help dry it out for quicker caramelization) until you are ready to serve.
Anna
These are great! Everyone loved them.
Mari Carmen Pastor
They are delicious 😋 and very easy to make!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you Mari!
A
I was comparing the cupcake batter recipes between this one and the strawberry shortcake one. Both are exactly the same except for the amount of cornstarch (1t vs 1T). Was that intentional? And if not, what is the correct amount?
christina.marsigliese
Hi there, yes it's because the strawberry shortcake cupcakes are meant to have a slightly shorter texture.
DP
I don’t have a torch. Can you brûlée these with a broiler instead?
christina.marsigliese
Hi DP, sorry this recipe definitely needs a torch because a broiler would be too slow that it might melt the custard.
Aaliyah
Hi Christina. Thanks for the amazing recipe. I can’t wait to try it. Just a quick question please, can I assemble the cupcakes and refrigerate for a day or 2 before sprinkling the sugar and torching them? Thank you
NiCole
We made these and they were absolutely delicious! We had the Cupcakes in the fridge until we were ready to torch and eat them. Will be making these again! Thank you for sharing!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you liked them.
Angela D.
I absolutely LOVED baking these! My family and I loved them! They are a HIT!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Angela!
Joy
Hello! I was wondering if I can use something else to substitute the sunflower oil? Thanks!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Joy, any neutral oil like canola oil or vegetable oil.
Debbie
Delicious. I used a Bourbon infused turbinado sugar and torched. I achieved a lovely thin crack. I was wondering if you have tried this recipe gluten free?
Max Cuiffo
What are the benefits of making the pastry cream 1 day in advance?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Max, only to save you work so that there are less tasks to do on the day you assemble the cupcakes.
Esther
my cupcakes seem a bit dense... it seems cooked through but oddly heavy. did I do something wrong? it still tastes yum though!
christina.marsigliese
Hi Esther, it could be the batter was over-mixed. Also, check your baking powder and make sure it's fresh. I hope you have success the next time.
Meg
These actually blew me away! What a creative idea and they are beyond delicious.
christina.marsigliese
Thanks so much Meg!
Irene
I loved! One question after baking, if I want to give one the next day, should I put it in the refrigerator?
christina.marsigliese
Hi Irene, thank you! Yes they should be kept in the fridge.
Kate
Awesome recipe, SO creative! I made these for Easter and everyone loved them! My only mods were adding cinnamon to the cupcake mix (I've got a habit of putting it in almost everything), and making 150% of the custard. I knew I wouldn't be able to resist eating some beforehand. I rolled my toddler's cupcake in rainbow non pareils. Will definitely make again!
christina.marsigliese
Thank you so much Kate! I'm so happy your family enjoyed them!