the ballerina bakeshop: autumn fairy cupcakes {cinderella}

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Welcome back to the Ballerina Bakeshop! Today’s special? Cinderella-inspired pumpkin cupcakes topped with a brown sugar cream cheese frosting. Get it? Because the Fairy Godmother turns a pumpkin into Cinderella’s carriage? That kind of tie-in is art, people. And just in case you’re confused, that little ballerina on top of the cupcake is the Autumn Fairy. Now, I’m pretty sure you’ve all heard the story of Cinderella, but you might not be as familiar with the Autumn Fairy. That’s because in the ballet version of any story, we like to throw in extra (random) characters. Mostly fairies – we really like to throw those in. So, in Cinderella, you’ll find the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter fairies. Frankly, in many versions of the ballet, the Autumn Fairy has a crap-ass costume. So, she’s pretty forgettable.

I’m not going to tell you the story of Cinderella. I’ll leave that sort of storytelling for ballets you might not be as familiar with – the ones with weird names and stuff. But I will tell you that the step-sisters in this ballet are usually played by dudes (en travestie, or in parody). When you’re casting your own version of the ballet, you might want to cast girls in the roles – and then tell them that you chose them because they “look enough like men to pull it off.”

I think you’re going to like these cupcakes. We’re talkin’ brown butter, friends. These fairy cakes are moist and gently spiced, and the brown butter adds some depth and nuttiness to the mix. (If you’re not sure how to brown butter, click here or here or watch this video – it’s easier than cramming your foot into a glass slipper.) The cream cheese frosting isn’t overly sweet – and the brown sugar plays well with the pumpkin in the cupcake. Both recipes are super easy to throw together – you could bake ’em, hook up with Prince Charming at a ball, and still make it home before midnight.

FYI, in some versions of Cinderella, it is the Autumn Fairy who turns the pumpkin into a gorgeous carriage for Cinderella. See how I did that again? Autumn Fairy? Fall colours? Pumpkin? PUMPKIN CUPCAKES? This stuff freakin’ writes itself.

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Pumpkin Brown Butter Cupcakes {Autumn Fairy Cupcakes} – adapted in the barest of ways from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes – print and bake

Yields about 16 cupcakes.

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line standard sized tins with cupcake liners.

Begin by browning the butter. Skim foam from the top and remove from heat. Pour into a bowl to stop the cooking, leaving any burned sediment behind. Set aside and let cool.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. In large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, both sugars, eggs and the browned butter. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake wells, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until a cake tester inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean. After about five minutes, remove cupcakes from tins and allow to cool completely on wire racks.

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Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting {Autumn Fairy Frosting} – from Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes –  print and make

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar

With an electric/stand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 3 days in an airtight container before using. (If using post refrigeration, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)