Pumpkin Brown Butter Sage Cupcakes

With the onset of Fall, I start to crave pumpkin pies and tarts.  I wanted to make something a bit different that did not require an entire pie to be made and came up with these pumpkin brown butter sage cupcakes.  
They have the moistness of a cupcake, which makes you have to realize that they are not muffins because they are so hearty.  The brown butter icing is very nice, but I would switch it up next time with a maple frosting.

Pumpkin Brown Butter Sage Cupcakes

Adapted From Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Makes 15

3/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature

1 2/3 c all purpose flour

1/4 c fresh sage leaves, chopped (optional)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 c canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 c lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 c granulated sugar

2 large eggs

brown butter icing (recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners, or brush with butter and dust with flour.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Add the sage (if using), and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown.  Skim foam from the top, and remove from heat.  Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind.  Let cool.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices in a bowl.  In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, both sugars, eggs and brown butter mixture.  Add flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and whisk until combined.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each 3/4 full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cake tester inserted comes out clean - about 20 minutes.  Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in a sealed container.

To finish, cover the top of the cupcake with brown butter icing.

Brown Butter Icing

1/2 c unsalted butter

2 c icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 T milk, plus more if needed

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until nut-brown in colour, about 10 minutes.  remove from heat, skim the foam, and pour into a bowl, leaving any burned sediment behind.

Add icing sugar, vanilla and milk o brown butter, stirring until smooth.  If necessary, add more milk a little at a time, just until icing is spreadable.  Use immediately.