Breathe In the Butterscotch

        I woke up with a strong desire for butterscotch, and when I get a craving for butterscotch I don't let anything stand in my way. It's one of my favorite flavors, as its sweetness is offset by a hint of saltiness that I love. It didn't take me long to determine I was in the mood for something thick, chewy, and with a truckload of concentrated butterscotch flavor. 
        Believe it or not, sweet-and-salty treats are a major competitor for my love for chocolate and in some cases even beat chocolate completely (gasp!). While I can somehow manage to hold myself back from sneaking a few chocolate chips during baking… I can't say the same for their butterscotch counterpart. I certainly could have practiced a little more restraint as I baked these Butterscotch Blondie Cupcakes.

Butterscotch Blondie Cupcakes

        Have you ever smelled that heavenly smell unique to butterscotch? If not, go find yourself a bag of butterscotch chips or anything butterscotch for that matter. Even better: bake these butterscotch blondies and let the scent fill your kitchen. I seriously wish the air smelled like that. That would be the day.
        These blondies are baked in a muffin tin. The result is exactly what I was looking for when the craving hit; they have a nice and generously thick bite as well as a moist and tender crumb. Dee-licious.

         Dense and chewy like a good blondie, the word "cupcake" refers more to the appearance than the texture. If the texture was cakey, they'd just be butterscotch cupcakes. I'm sure those would be good too but on this particular baking expedition "cakey" didn't make the cut. I wanted dense and these blondies delivered.
        The cupcake liners were an adorable accessory and they were easily removable when the blondies were oven-fresh, but after the blondies were left to cool for a while they became a tad stubborn. Next time I bake these I will either remove the liners a few minutes after pulling them from the oven or try greasing the tins instead. I've edited the recipe to include this.

        So, so flavorful. Taking a big bite of one of these was like being hit at full-speed by a butterscotch truck. 
        I don't think they have those. 
        They should. I'd buy one.  

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Butterscotch Blondie Cupcakes
(Adapted from Martha Stewart Cupcakes)
Yield: 12 to 15 cupcakes
Print This Recipe


Ingredients
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup butterscotch chips


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture and beat until incorporated. Fold in butterscotch chips by hand.
3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tin halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few moist (but not wet) crumbs, about 30 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack. Cool for a few minutes; remove cupcakes from tin and remove cupcake liners before serving. Cupcakes can be stored up to 5 days in airtight containers at room temperature.