Fall Brownie Cupcake Recipe with Buttercream Frosting

Double-decker brownie with cake top and frosting.

Fall Brownie Cupcake Recipe with Buttercream Frosting

These delectable brownie-based cupcakes are topped with buttercream frosting and sprinkled with festive fall colors! They combine the rich, fudgy goodness of brownies and fluffy vanilla cupcakes, with the creamy sweetness of buttercream.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Budget Frugal

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 18

Total Time 48

Servings

Calories 386kcal

Ingredients

For the brownie batter:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Instant espresso powder or instant coffee
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

For the cupcake layer:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 ⅔ cups sugar
6 egg whites
2 cups flour
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ¼ cups milk
¼ cup oil
Orange food coloring (optional)

For the buttercream:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk (if needed) use heavy cream if you do not have milk
Sprinkles to decorate

Instructions

For the brownie base:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep your muffin pans by placing liners for approximately 24 cupcakes. Set aside.
To make the brownie base - combine the butter and chocolate chips in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 30 seconds and stir well. If heating on the stovetop use very low heat.
Heat the melted chocolate for an additional 15 seconds at a time and stir well in between intervals until the chocolate mixture is smooth and the chocolate is melted.
Add in the cocoa powder and instant coffee grounds and whisk to combine.
Add in the sugars, baking powder, and salt, and mix well.
Mix in the two eggs and additional egg yolk.
Add in the flour and stir to combine - scraping the sides and checking for any hidden dry pockets.
Measure a heaping tablespoon worth of brownie batter and carefully spoon batter into each cupcake liner. Flatten with the back of a ¼ cup measuring cup.

For the cupcake layer:

To make the cupcake batter - In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar, and cream until smooth.
Add in the milk, oil, egg whites, baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
Pour in the flour and mix until smooth - scraping down the sides and mixing again.
Add in your orange food coloring (if using) and combine. Pour a tablespoon’s worth of batter on top of each of the brownies.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes - cupcakes should just be slightly browned around the edges and the center set. An inserted toothpick should come out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating.

For the buttercream:

To make the buttercream frosting - in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, vanilla, and salt. Cream until smooth.
Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined. If needed, add one tablespoon worth of milk to thin the frosting just until it no longer looks dry. Beat the frosting at high speed for one minute. Scrape the sides and mix again. Keep the frosting bowl covered with plastic wrap when not in use.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe a mound of frosting the each of the cooled cupcakes and immediately top them with the sprinkles. This is a crusting buttercream, so if you wait too long to place the sprinkles, they will not stick.

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