1-First Step: Preparation and Mise en Place Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners to set the stage for your creme brulee cupcakes. Gather all ingredients, ensuring the butter is softened and eggs are at room temperature for even mixing. This step helps everything come together smoothly, and if you’re adapting for dietary needs, swap ingredients now, like using gluten-free flour to keep the batter light.

2-Second Step: Make the Pastry Cream Prepare the vanilla bean pastry cream by combining sugar, cornstarch, flour, cream, milk, egg yolks, vanilla bean seeds, and pod in a saucepan. Cook this mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it thickens, which should take about 5-10 minutes. Once thickened, let it cool and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight to achieve that creamy custard consistency perfect for your creme brulee cupcakes; for a vegan version, use plant-based milk and egg substitutes here.

3-Third Step: Mix the Dry Ingredients Sift together 1 ¼ cups (180g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon (3g) cornstarch, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a bowl to ensure they’re well combined and free of lumps. This step is crucial for the batter’s texture, and if you’re going gluten-free, use a certified blend to maintain the rise in your creme brulee cupcakes. Set this aside while you work on the wet ingredients.

4-Fourth Step: Cream the Butter and Wet Ingredients Cream the 6 tablespoons (84g) softened unsalted butter with ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar and 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract until the mixture is pale and fluffy, which takes about 2-3 minutes. Beat in the 2 large eggs one at a time until smooth, then whisk together ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon (95ml) whole milk and 1 tablespoon (15ml) sunflower oil separately. For low-calorie options, use a lighter milk here to adjust without altering the steps much.

5-Final Step: Bake, Fill, and Finish Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry, mixing on medium-low speed until just combined, then beat briefly on high speed for about 10 seconds to emulsify. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling them about two-thirds full, and bake for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. After cooling, cut a small cone from each cupcake, fill with the chilled pastry cream, spread more on top, refrigerate for 15 minutes, dip in ½ cup (100g) coarse sugar, and caramelize with a kitchen torch. Serve immediately for the best texture, and if storing, follow the tips below; for variations, check out related custard recipes to enhance your creme brulee cupcakes.