When two of the most deliciously indulgent desserts combine, the result is Torched Crème Brûlée Cupcakes. Yes, you read that right!

These cupcakes have a crisp, caramelized shell that cracks as you break into the luscious pastry cream underneath. As you dig in further you reach the softest, vanilla bean speckled cake base that is also filled with pastry cream! They are finally topped with a thick and fluffy whipped cream dollop adorned with a glossy caramel shard. 

These cupcakes are absolutely unreal. From the variety of textures to the incredible vanilla and toasted caramel flavors, this dessert isn’t just a tasty treat – it’s an experience!  

Recipes used to make the Crème Brûlée Cupcakes:

Vanilla Bean Cupcake Recipe: Best Vanilla Cupcakes by Cupcake Project

This vanilla cupcake recipe is my all-time favorite! It is speckled with vanilla beans, light and fluffy, and full of flavor! I used this recipe for my Valentine’s Day Teddy Bear Cupcakes and have not felt the need to try out any others, it’s that fantastic. 

Pastry Cream Recipe: Pastry Cream by Preppy Kitchen

My first time making pastry cream was a success and I can thank John of Preppy Kitchen! He has a video walking you through the steps on his site which is extremely helpful if you’re also new to this process. 

Note: I added some of the whipped cream topping to the chilled pastry cream to make it more creamy and increase the volume. Be prepared to eat this by the spoonful!!

Whipped Topping Recipe: Not-So-Sweet Whipped Frosting by Sally’s Baking Addiction

This whipped topping is the best I’ve ever had or made. It is combined with cream cheese making it more stable than a standard whipped cream but still fluffy and creamy. I just used this recipe for my Boozy Black Forest Cupcakes and was dying to be able to use it again. 

Caramel Shard Recipe: Caramel Shards by Food52

These caramel shards look just like beautiful, honey colored stained glass and taste like a caramel hard candy! Be sure to store them in the freezer as they get sticky when they sit at room temperature. 

Keep reading for tips and how to put it all together! 

Preparation tips before making the cupcakes:

• Invest in a kitchen torch:
  • The caramelizing and crisping options are endless with a kitchen torch! You can toast marshmallows for S’mores Cupcakes, brown the top of Mac and Cheese, toast a meringue topping, and even roast peppers! 
  • I discovered the brand Jo Chef on Instagram and picked up their Kitchen Torch online and love it! Link here if you are looking for one to add to your baking tools as well.

• Buy your vanilla bean pods online: 
  • Buying vanilla beans online saves SO much money! Do not pay upwards of $10 for a single bean at the grocery store. I picked up these Madagascar vanilla beans (6 inch pack of 11) on Amazon and you get 11 beans for around $12!

• Use a cupcake corer:
  • Filling cupcakes is so much easier when you have a tool to take a perfect center out of the cakes. I use this one but sometimes it is out of stock – there are lots of similar options to try out!

Make components ahead of time:

These cupcakes have quite a few elements to them, but you can split the steps into several days to make the process less daunting.

1. Prepare the caramel shards days in advance, break them up, and store them in the freezer to prevent them from becoming sticky. 
2. Make the pastry cream the night before and let chill in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
3. Bake the cupcakes the night before, allow them to fully cool, and then store them at room temperature in an air-tight container. This cupcake recipe is so moist they don’t dry out quickly.
4. Make the whipped topping a day in advance and store in an air-tight container in the fridge overnight (I popped mine into a large zip-lock bag and pressed out all of the air. It stayed fluffy and was perfectly pipeable the next morning! 
5. Use store bought whipped topping to save time. (I adore the from-scratch recipe used here so I can’t recommend whipping it up yourself enough!)

Crème Brûlée Cupcake Recipe Baking Tips:

Below are my additional tips and main takeaways to take note of – please reference the recipe developer’s posts for detailed instructions.

The Caramel Shards:

• Cover the boiling pot of sugar and water with a lid to help keep moisture in and prevent crystallization.
• Don’t step away from the stove – the sugar can turn from a beautiful caramel hue to a burnt black very quickly. 
• Pull the caramel mixture off of the stove before it is dark/fully done as it continues to cook in the pot. I had to scrap one batch because it burned after I took it off of the heat and before I could pour it out from continuing to cook in the hot pot.
• Store the shards in the freezer as they stick together if left at room temperature and can get tacky in the fridge. 

The Pastry Cream:

• Cover with saran wrap quickly after pouring it into your heat safe container. This prevents a film/skin from forming on it as it cools. 
• After it has chilled overnight, remove the pastry cream from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for about an hour to soften up. Give it a good whisk to make the texture smooth once again. 
• If desired, fold whipped cream into the pastry cream – essentially creating a diplomat cream. Doing this actually made it so I had just enough cream to fill and top my cupcakes with. It is also much smoother and easier to pipe with the whipped cream added. Otherwise the mixture is delicious, but would be very thick and difficult to work with.

These Crème Brûlée Cupcakes combine two classically delicious desserts into one that is absolutely incredible!

The cupcakes have a soft vanilla bean cake base, a pastry cream filling and topping, torched caramelized shell, whipped cream, and a caramel shard adorning the top! It’s time to dust off your kitchen torch because these cupcakes are worth every minute that goes into making them!

Crème Brûlée Cupcakes

Recipe by AshleyCourse: Cupcakes, Desserts

Servings

16

cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 batch vanilla cupcakes by Cupcake Project

• 1 batch pastry cream by Preppy Kitchen

• 1 batch whipped frosting by Sally’s Baking Addiction

• Caramel Shards by Food52

• Granulated sugar for topping the cupcakes and torching
  

Directions

• Make the caramel shards and store in the freezer until needed.
• Next, make the pastry cream, cover it with saran wrap so no air can touch the surface, and store in the refrigerator for two hours or overnight. Remove from fridge one hour prior to piping.
• Make the whipped frosting (can be made the night before).
• Bake the vanilla cupcakes and allow them to cool.
• Once the cupcakes have fully cooled, use a cupcake corer, piping tip, or small knife to make a hole in the center.
• Vigorously whisk the pastry cream to smooth it out and fold in about 3/4 cup of whipped cream.
• Pipe the pastry cream into the cored cupcakes and continue piping on top to make a small dome. I used a Wilton 2A tip.
• Gently roll the cupcakes in granulated sugar and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes.
• Remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator, sprinkle with a bit more sugar, and use a torch to caramelize the top of the cupcakes.
• Let the cupcakes cool down, and then top with a dollop of whipped cream and a caramel shard. I used a Wilton 6B piping tip for the whipped topping.
• Cupcakes are best served as soon as possible to maintain the brûléed shell, but they taste delicious whether they have the crunch or not! You can mimic the crunch by eating some of the caramel shard along with the cake, which tastes just like the traditional burnt caramel top on crème brûlée .

Notes

• Cover the pastry cream while it is still warm to prevent a film from forming on the top as it cools.
• The pastry cream will be firm after you remove it from the refrigerator. Allow it to come to room temperature, give it a good whisk, and then use or fold in your whipped cream.
• Rolling the tops of the cupcakes in sugar helps to create a flat and level surface, rather than a dome.

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If you make this dessert or have any questions, please leave a comment below! I absolutely love hearing when others are inspired to step into their kitchen and try out something new.

Happy Baking!

XOXO,