Eclecticisms: Brown Sugar Pound Cupcakes with Brown Butter Glaze

My cousin Stephanie and I were baking this weekend, and I let her choose the recipe. These cupcakes are ones I probably would never have tried. I'm not a huge fan of pound cake (or a lot of cake in general, honestly) and thought these would be pretty plain. The results? They're fantastic! Lesson learned. I think I'm going to start making more "I'd never make that" recipes. How else will I find new and wonderful things?

Recipe from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes.

Ingredients- Brown Sugar Pound Cupcakes

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 oz (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups packed light-brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup buttermilk
Brown-Butter Glaze

Line a cupcake tin with paper liners and pre-heat oven to 325.

In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Cream butter and brown sugar until light brown and fluffy (using your mixer, about 3 minutes on high).

Add eggs, one at a time. Beat thoroughly between additions.

With your mixer on low, add buttermilk and flour intermittently, starting with the flour, the flour in 3 parts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue mixing until the dry mixture is completely incorporated.

Pour batter into cupcake liners until about 2/3 full and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.When the cupcakes are out of the oven, make your glaze.

Look at that shrimp on the top left!

Ingredients- Brown Butter Glaze

1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

In a small saucepan or pot, melt the butter for about 10 minutes, or until golden brown. It should have a slightly nutty scent. Pour into your mixer's bowl, leaving any burn bits in the pot.