I’m kind of obsessed with nutty desserts, whether they use almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachios, or peanuts. Some of our other favorites are Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars, Toasted Almond Ice Cream, and Pistachio Macarons!
Cupcakes with a Crunch
A while ago my husband was craving my Burnt Almond Cake, except he specifically requested that I make it in cupcake form. He grew up in San Jose, California, less than a mile from Dick’s Bakery where they were famous for their burnt almond cake. I’ve had their version enough times to know that while my burnt almond cake (and now cupcakes) don’t taste quite exactly the same, it’s pretty close. In fact, we like this version even better. I’m not really sure where or why it got the name “burnt almond cake” when the almonds most definitely aren’t burnt. They are toasted with a sugar coating that makes them straight-up irresistible. The vanilla pastry cream and vanilla cupcakes are staple recipes that I have made over and over, dozens of times each. Filled cupcakes feel extra special and fancy, and I love the sweet, creamy center in these burnt almond cupcakes. Then there is the wonderfully light and creamy swiss meringue buttercream frosting. It’s heavenly stuff and lighter and less sweet than American buttercream, which makes it perfect for these cupcakes with their sugared almonds that cover the top. The nice thing is that you don’t have to worry about having any fancy decorating skills because after frosting the cupcakes, you just roll the tops of them in the toasted almonds until they are completely covered and boom, you’re done! There are a few elements to this recipe: cupcake base, pastry cream filling, swiss meringue buttercream frosting, and toasted sugared almonds. But you can make a lot of the elements ahead and then assemble the cupcakes the day you want to serve them!
How to Make Burnt Almond Cupcakes
Make the pastry cream first so it can chill
Make the vanilla cupcakes
Make the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting
Make the Sugared Almonds, then Assemble
Assemble the cupcakes
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
These burnt almond cupcakes really are best eaten the day they are made, but they will still be good for a few days in the fridge. Because these cupcakes are filled with pastry cream, they should be kept in the refrigerator if you need to store them longer than a couple of hours. Just pull them out an hour before serving so the frosting can come to room temperature. I definitely recommend making the pastry cream a day (or more!) in advance and storing it in the fridge. You can make the vanilla cupcakes a day or two ahead and cover and store them on the counter, or make them even farther ahead and freeze them until you are ready to fill and frost.
More Cupcake Recipes
Key Lime CupcakesS’mores CupcakesBest Ever Moist Chocolate CupcakesRobin’s Egg Easter CupcakesFresh Strawberry CupcakesLemon CupcakesDulce de Leche Cupcakes
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