Creme Brulee Cupcakes

I can't believe how good these were! Even though I didn't have a torch to caramelize the brown sugar on the top, these cupcakes were fantastic and did taste like creme brulee. They look a little sloppy (my frosting method has not been perfected). I also didn't have cupcake liners - I bought them at Target because I knew I was going to bake cupcakes and they were in the bag that the cashier never gave me! :( Oh well. When I make them again, they will look better!

Adapted from: www.BeantownBaker.com

CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for the egg whites
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups sugar2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons caramel syrup - I used Smuckers ice cream topping
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Alternately beat in dry ingredients and milk. Add caramel syrup and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry. Gently fold whites into batter. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling cups about 2/3 full. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool.

BROWN SUGAR SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM INGREDIENTS
1 cup light brown sugar
4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

Put sugar, egg whites and salt into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees). Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 7 minutes total.Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low, add butter two tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high; continue beating until frosting appears thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and continue beating 1 minute to reduce air bubbles.To assemble cupcakes, remove center of cupcake using a knife. Fill cupcake with buttercream. Sprinkle brown sugar on top and caramelize with creme brulee torch - which I did not have, so my cupcake was not caramelized. :(