Miso Caramel Cupcakes
Miso caramel cupcakes with a brown butter base and white miso caramel buttercream, ready in 43 minutes (25 mins prep, 18 mins bake).
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, for browning
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
- 2 tbsp sour cream, room temperature
- FOR THE MISO CARAMEL:
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream, warmed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
- FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/3 cup prepared miso caramel (from above), cooled
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt, for finishing
Instructions
Brown the butter for the cupcakes: melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden. Nutty-smelling, about 5 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl and let it cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes). Don't skip this, hot butter will cook the eggs.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Make the miso caramel: combine sugar and water in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Do not stir, swirl the pan gently if needed. Cook until deep amber, about 8, 10 minutes. Remove from heat, carefully pour in warm cream (it will bubble hard), then add butter. Stir until smooth. Whisk in miso paste. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool while you mix the batter.
Beat the cooled brown butter and sugar together on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in vanilla.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixed with sour cream. Start and end with flour. Mix just until no dry streaks remain, don't overwork it.
Divide batter evenly among the 12 liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 16, 18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the buttercream: beat softened butter on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, mixing on low. Once incorporated, pour in the cooled miso caramel and heavy cream. Beat on medium-high for 2 minutes until smooth and silky. Taste, if you want more miso depth, add another teaspoon of miso paste directly.
Pipe the buttercream onto cooled cupcakes using a large round or open-star tip. Drizzle a small spoonful of remaining miso caramel over each swirl and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
Pro Tips
- • White miso is the right call here, red or barley miso is too strong and will overpower the caramel. Look for it in the refrigerated section of any Asian grocery store or most well-stocked supermarkets.
- • The miso caramel can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge. Warm it briefly before using in the buttercream so it folds in smoothly.
- • If your buttercream looks curdled or soupy, the caramel was probably still too warm. Pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes and beat again, it will come back together.
- • For a cleaner caramel drizzle on top. Thin a tablespoon of leftover caramel with a few drops of cream. Drizzle from a spoon while it's slightly warm.
Recipe Details
Timing
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Recipe Highlights
Final Thoughts
Miso caramel cupcakes are the kind of recipe that sounds like a risk but eats like a surprise. The brown butter base, the deep amber caramel. And that subtle savory hit from the miso all do exactly what you want them to, layer flavor without complication. These are worth making for any occasion where you want to hand someone a cupcake. Watch them pause mid-bite wondering what just happened. That pause is the whole goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I taste the miso in the finished cupcakes?
Not as a distinct flavor, no. What the miso does is add a background savory note that balances the sweetness of the caramel. Most people can't identify it, they just say the frosting tastes more interesting than a regular caramel buttercream. If you're nervous, start with 1 tablespoon of miso instead of 2 and adjust from there.
My caramel seized up and went grainy. What went wrong?
This usually happens if you stirred the sugar while it was melting (which introduces crystallization) or if the cream was cold when you added it. Use warm cream straight from the microwave, don't stir the pot, just swirl. And if it seizes, put it back on low heat and stir gently until it re-melts.
Can I make these cupcakes ahead for an event?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes up to two days ahead and store unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature. The miso caramel keeps refrigerated for a week. Make the buttercream the day of the event, frost. And store assembled cupcakes in a cool spot (not the fridge, it dries out the cake) for up to 8 hours.
Is there a substitute for sour cream in the batter?
Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works as a 1:1 swap. Both add a slight tang and keep the crumb moist. Don't use low-fat versions, the fat content matters for texture here.
