Sometimes there is just nothing to say.

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

I made brown butter cakes! That are small! Tiny! Covered in glaze!

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

Other than that though? I don’t have anything to say.

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

I could tell you how I caught my entire oven on fire last night while broiling salmon. That was fun. Not. My husband got mad at me. Like it was MY fault that the oven caught on fire. Well. Maybe he was mad that I was talking on my cell phone… and continued to talk on my cell phone while pulling the fire-covered baking sheet out of the oven and blowing on it. All while maintaining my conversation and screaming “OMG my salmon’s on fire, my salmon’s on fire.” Ew. I’m SO in my twenties.

And do people even say “cell phone” anymore? I think not.

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

I could tell you how I’m smack dab in the middle of this gigantic closet and drawer purge, trying to simplify my life or something like that. I’ve ripped tons of clothes off of hangers and out of dresser drawers and just thrown them on the floor. Where they remain. Piles of hangers just tossed in a cluster for us to trip over every single morning and night. Big trash bags filled with clothes smashed against the walls, waiting to be dragged (drugged?) down the stairs and into my car. Not annoying enough for me to finish the project… yet.

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

Or I could simply tell you this non-pound cake lover has been converted by these soft and dense yet light and fluffy mini loaves, made with brown butter and vanilla beans then covered in more brown butter and vanilla beans. They are just scrumptious for breakfast.

Or lunch or dinner or every meal for the rest of your life.

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes

[adapted from this vanilla lime poundcake]

makes 4 mini loaves

3 large eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, scraped or 1 tablespoons vanilla bean paste

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisk until melted, then continuously stir until butter begins to brown and brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes). Remove immediately from heat and let sit until cool. Once cool, place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes, or until it’s just barely solid but still soft.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla extracts and beans together until combined.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, add flour, sugar, salt and baking powder and stir to mix. With the mixer on low speed, add butter (scrape the entire pan very well so every brown bit gets in the bowl!) and mix until combined and the butter has fully incorporated. It may still look somewhat dry at this point. Add in half of the egg mixture, then mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the remaining egg mixture in two parts, mixing again for 30 seconds each time. Scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary and mix for another 30 seconds. Fill each mini loaf tin 3/4 of the way full, then place on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until top is golden. Once cool, remove from loaf pans and pour glaze on top.

 

Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Glaze

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

1-1/4 cups powdered sugar

2-3 tablespoons milk

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisk until melted, then continuously stir until butter begins to brown and brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan (about 5 minutes). Remove immediately from heat and let sit until somewhat cool.

Combine butter, vanilla beans and sugar in a bowl. Whisk until combined (it should become paste-like), then add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing well until the desired glaze consistency is reached. If glaze is still too thick, continue adding milk in very small amounts and whisking for 1-2 minutes at a time. If it becomes too thin, add in a bit more sugar to thicken.

Mini Brown Butter Vanilla Bean Pound Cakes I howsweeteats.com

And since they’re mini, you can eat more. Life rules!