Brown Mountain Honey Cupcakes
with honey vanilla buttercream frosting
VINTAGE RECIPE
(Discloser: Inspiration Apron is reader supported. I may earn an affiliate commission by any purchase made by clicking links in this post. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Inspiration Apron running!
Summer bee themed dessert idea
Everyone loves cupcakes, but there's something special about bee-themed cupcakes at a summer party. With an old-fashioned recipe for brown mountain cake, creamy honey vanilla buttercream frosting, and easy-to-make edible bee toppers, these sweet treats will make your celebration the bee's knees (pun intended!) …and the best part is that you can make them yourself! I made a dairy-free version of this vintage recipe because I am lactose intolerant, but if you want to use real dairy ingredients you can substitute in equal amounts. This recipe makes 15 regular sized cupcakes.
Learn step-by-step instructions for creating honey bee cupcakes with a delicious vintage recipe for brown mountain cake, plus some clever ideas for making edible bee toppers with m&m's, almond slices, and chocolate. Get ready to wow your guests with a fun, eye-catching dessert that's as delicious as it is festive!
Brown mountain honey cake inspiration:
This vintage recipe for brown mountain cake came straight out of my grandmother’s recipe scrap book with a handwritten “GOOD!” beside of the recipe. I remember her making it a few times when I was younger and I have made it since receiving her old recipe book and remembered how much I enjoyed it.
What does brown mountain cake taste like?
This delicious cake has just a touch of chocolate flavor with a moist bite and the perfect amount of sweetness. The few modifications to the original recipe are that I swapped out coconut milk for the buttermilk along with using a dairy-free plant butter and used honey beer in place of water. The result is still the same as I remembered but with a delectable hint of sweetness with a light, moist texture.
Ready to enjoy the sweeter side of summer with these bee-themed cupcakes? Let's get baking! Yield: 15 regular size cupcakes.
Ingredients for brown mountain honey cupcakes:
Cupcake Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup plant butter, softened (or regular butter)
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup canned coconut milk, full fat (or buttermilk)
1 tsp Nature’s Flavors organic vanilla extract flavor concentrate (or 2 tsp regular vanilla extract)
1/2 cup room temp (or warmed slightly) honey beer (or a light wheat ale will do) Note: the vintage recipe called for warm water, which you can also use, but the ale gives a little extra lift and lightness to the cake.
Honey vanilla buttercream frosting ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) plant butter, softened (or regular butter)
1/3 cup honey
4 1/2 cups powdered
1 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or regular milk)
1 tsp Nature’s Flavors organic vanilla extract flavor concentrate (or 2 tsp regular vanilla extract)
Pinch of salt
Optional: 2-3 drops yellow food coloring
How to make brown mountain cupcakes
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350℉ / 176℃ and line a regular sized cupcake pan with 20 liners or if using sturdy paper baking cups like I did, it will take only 15. (you can fit a little more batter in them.)
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt until well blended. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes.) Next, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Starting and ending with the dry flour mixture that was set aside, alternate adding to creamed butter mixture along with the coconut milk. I generally add about one cup of the dry mixture at a time.
Lastly, add vanilla and beer to the batter and mix until evenly incorporated, about 1 minute, (do not overmix.)
How full should cupcake batter be in paper baking cups or liners?
Fill cupcake liners or paper baking cups 3/4 full. Note: I used 1/2 cup of batter in the paper baking cups and they had the perfect lift size to them.
How long to bake brown mountain cupcakes?
Place in center of preheated oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack to let cool completely before frosting. Tip: If using regular cupcake liners, let cool in pan or tin for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. I like to use a long fork to help carefully slide in-between pan and cupcake and gently lift out to minimize contact with hot cupcakes.
How to make honey vanilla buttercream frosting:
Frosting instructions
In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and honey until smooth.
Sift powdered sugar into creamed honey butter, about 1 cup at a time, beating at medium speed until well blended.
After all sugar is incorporated, use a rubber or silicone spatula to scrap down sides and add vanilla and milk then beat for an additional minute or until well incorporated. Add more milk, 1 tsp at a time, if needed for the desired consistency.
Note: If desired for a hint of pastel yellow color, add 2-4 drops yellow food coloring and stir or mix well until evenly distributed.
Use a Wilton 10 or 11 tip attached to a piping bag to achieve a beehive effect by piping circles from bottom to top in a continuous taper till reaching top center. Note: Save a small amount of leftover frosting to attach bee wings, if making edible bees.
Tip: If you do not have Wilton tips or piping bags, use my simple hack of snipping the corner off of a plastic baggie, filling the baggie with frosting and squeeze out to frost! I’ve used that method in a pinch several times and it works beautifully for me.
How to make edible bees for desserts or cupcakes:
You will need: Yellow peanut M&M’s, dark chocolate morsels, almond slices, aluminum foil, waxed paper, and small plastic baggie.
Begin by lining a baking sheet with waxed paper and lay out desired amount of yellow peanut M&M’s at least 2 inches apart. Melt chocolate according to package directions. Add melted chocolate to a small plastic baggie and snip the corner. Gently squeeze out three stripes onto yellow M&M’s, then use a toothpick to dot eyes on the front of each one. Let cool completely either at a cool room temperature or carefully place in the fridge.
To make almond slice wings: Lay out waxed paper on a tray or small baking sheet, then tear small pieces of aluminum foil and roll like shown in photo and place about 1 1/2 inches apart.
Squeeze out a small dab of chocolate in-between of each foil pieces and then prop two almond slices in the chocolate and other end resting on rolled aluminum foil. Let cool completely until set, placing in fridge if need be.
After wings are set, gently lift off waxed paper using a small spatula or butter knife and attach to body of bee (M&M) using leftover frosting as a glue. I found that the frosting worked best for me.
Carefully add completed bee to top of each cupcake and serve.
Everyone will be BUZZING about how delicious these bee themed cupcakes are at your next birthday, spring or summer party, baby shower or any fun special occasion….or even if you are just a bee lover!
How to store buttercream frosted cupcakes:
How to store buttercream frosted cupcakes: Because of the amount of sugar in buttercream frosting, they are perfectly fine left at room temperature for up to 4 days covered. If you want to refrigerate them, they need to be covered and still might dry out a bit, but will last for 7 days in fridge. If you choose to freeze the cupcakes, place in an airtight container and wrap container with plastic or foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Enjoy!
🐝Julie
Brown Mountain Honey Cupcakes
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ / 176℃ and line a regular sized cupcake pans with 20 liners or if using sturdy paper baking cups like I did, it will take only 15. (You can fit a little more batter in them.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cocoa and salt until well blended. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes.) Next, add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Starting and ending with the dry flour mixture that was set aside, alternate adding to creamed butter mixture along with the coconut milk. (I generally add about one cup of the dry mixture at a time.)
- Lastly, add vanilla and beer to the batter and mix until evenly incorporated, about 1 minute, (do not overmix.)
- Fill cupcake liners or paper baking cups 3/4 full. Note: I used 1/2 cup of batter in the paper baking cups and they had the perfect lift size to them.
- Place in center of preheated oven and bake for 23-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Transfer cupcakes to a cooling rack to let cool completely before frosting. Tip: If using regular cupcake liners, let cool in pan or tin for 3-4 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. I like to use a long fork to help carefully slide in-between pan and cupcake and gently lift out to minimize contact with hot cupcakes.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and honey until smooth.
- Sift powdered sugar into creamed honey butter, about 1 cup at a time, beating at medium speed until well blended.
- After all sugar is incorporated, use a rubber or silicone spatula to scrap down sides and add vanilla and milk then beat for an additional minute or until well incorporated. Add more milk, 1 tsp at a time, if needed for the desired consistency.
- If desired for a hint of pastel yellow color, add 2-4 drops yellow food coloring and stir or mix well until evenly distributed.
- Frost cooled cupcakes by using a Wilton 10 or 11 tip attached to a piping bag to achieve a beehive effect by piping circles from bottom to top in a continuous taper till reaching top center. If desired, place edible bees or garnish to the top of each cupcake. Enjoy!
Notes
How to store buttercream frosted cupcakes: Because of the amount of sugar in buttercream frosting, they are perfectly fine left at room temperature for up to 4 days covered. If you want to refrigerate them, they need to be covered and still might dry out a bit but will last for 7 days in fridge. If you choose to freeze the cupcakes, place in an airtight container and wrap container with plastic or foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Tip: If you do not have Wilton tips or piping bags, use my simple hack of snipping the corner off of a plastic baggie, filling the baggie with frosting and squeeze out to frost! I’ve used that method in a pinch several times and it works beautifully for me.
How full should cupcake batter be in paper baking cups or liners? Fill cupcake liners or paper baking cups 3/4 full. Note: I used 1/2 cup of batter in the paper baking cups and they had the perfect lift size to them. Place filled paper baking cups on a baking sheet before baking in the oven.
Note: If using the edible bees made of yellow peanut M&Ms, please disclose to guest before serving in case of peanut allergies. Have a few without the bees available for people with allergies.
