Basil & Browned Butter cupcakes with Browned Butter frosting
An original recipe by Not Quite Nigella
Makes 8 cupcakes/14 miniature cupcakes
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185 grams butter
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85g ground almonds
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3/4 cup flour
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1 1/2 cups sugar
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10 basil leaves
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24 basil leaves extra for deep frying on top-not too small, they will shrink once fried and some won't turn out as nicely so make extra just in case
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2 eggs
For caramelised butter frosting recipe see here. You only need to make 1/3 or 1/2 of the quantity of icing in the recipe.[
](http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/11/29/caramel-cake-with-caramelised-butter-frosting-daring-bakers-challenge-november-2008/)
Step 1 - Make Basil sugar by placing a tablespoon or two of the sugar in a mortar and pestle and then add some basil leaves. Grind until it becomes a pale forest green sugar and all of the sugar and basil is used.
Step 2 - Brown butter in a small saucepan. Carefully drop in basil leaves to deep fry making sure that the butter doesn't brown too much. Place leaves on absorbent paper. Mix sugar into the butter and set aside for 20 minutes until cool. Preheat the oven to 180C.
Step 3 - Mix grounds almonds and flour in the bowl of an electric mixer. With a paddle attachment, add cooled butter sugar mixture until combined. Then add eggs, one at a time, until combined.
Step 4 - Spoon into cupcake cases, I made 14 miniature ones and they took about 25 minutes but larger ones will take longer, check regular sized ones at 35 minutes.
Step 5 - Frost with browned butter frosting and top with fried basil leaf.