Salted Carmel Cupcakes

Salted Carmel Cupcakes...

this just screams Starbucks doesn't it?

I'm pretty sure coffee flavors were what my Starbucks-lovin' husband was thinking when he was parusing my 'sweet treats' Pinterest board for his birthday cupcakes and came across these. 

It took all of 1/1,00 of a second for him to decide as soon as he saw them.

(Do you remember the Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Cupcakes he requested two years ago?)

My first thought about the Salted Carmel Cupcake pick?

Good choice. 

And indeed, it was.

Amber over at CrazyLittleProjects shared this recipe and I am so glad she did.

I love that the cupcake recipe uses a box cake mix to make it a little easier. You could very easily substitute your favorite chocolate cake recipe.

I was a little nervous about the homemade carmel sauce but it came out perfect. (Confession: I did buy a jarred carmel sauce... you know, just in case. I've had a few very unsuccessful carmel attempts in the past!)

The only change I made was to use flaked sea salt rather than kosher salt to sprinkle on the cupcakes. I just love seeing those pretty little flakes sitting in the sticky carmel sauce. 

Flaked sea salt on dessert just happens to be my new favorite thing.

Especially when they are sprinkled on these cupcakes!

Happy 31st Birthday to my favorite person.
(I can't wait to see what cake he picks for next year!)

Perfect Chocolate Icing {on Spring Cupcakes}

I have been on the hunt for a GREAT chocolate frosting. I knew I didn't want to use cream cheese and I tried a fudge frosting but it turned out too runny.
Then when the Hubs asked for yellow cake with chocolate frosting for his 30th birthday, the pressure was on!
I searched and pinned icing recipes on Pinterest for days.
And I came across {this} one from Key Ingredient. It looked simple and I had all of the ingredients on hand.

Let me tell you, it did not disappoint!
-Oh my yum.-
In fact, I've made it twice in the last couple of weeks. And as I'm sitting here typing, I'm trying to come up with a reason that I need to make another cake just to have this icing!
Get ready to kiss that canned chocolate frosting good-bye.

Here's What You'll Need:
1 cup softened margarine
1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 Tablespoons milk

Here's How:
In a stand mixer, whip the margarine and cocoa together until smooth.
Stir in vanilla and powdered sugar.
While stirring, slowly stream in the milk until frosting reaches desired consistency.
Scrap down sides and whip.
This is where the magic happens.
It'll turn from pasty, thick icing to glossy, lick your fingers good icing. 1-2 minutes of whipping and it will be fluffy and smooth.

(This is enough frosting for 24 cupcakes.)


I made classic yellow cupcakes (shhhh, it was from a box!) and piped this yummy chocolate frosting on top.
To take them to our Youth Group's Easter Egg Hunt, I topped the icing with toasted coconut and 2 'eggs' to resemble a little birdies nest.
(The eggs were candy Whoppers shaped as eggs.)

And just in case you didn't know......

Tres Leches Cupcakes

Some of my favorite recipes are not found on Pinterest.

GASP!!!!

I know, I know, hard to believe.

But, Pinterest cannot deliver the satisfaction of tasting the yumminess you see!

And a Church function (that ladies have slaved hours in their kitchen to make the best possible dessert) now that is where you can see and SAMPLE. (My kind of recipe shopping.)

Enter, Tres Leches Cupcakes.

(And you're welcome!!!!)

This ultra moist, yummy cake is usually a whole cake, but I just love anything cupcake!

I saw, loved, tasted, loved and then asked for the recipe. (Just so I can share with you!)

Tres Leches Cupcakes

(Adapted slightly from here)

What You'll Need:

Cake:

6 large eggs, separated

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

1 cup flour, sifted

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup whipping cream

3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Topping:

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

 3 Tb. sugar

Cinnamon

Here's How:

1. Preheat oven to 325*. Line muffin pans

2. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites, baking soda, and salt on medium until soft peaks form.

3. Reduce speed and add egg yolks and sugar. Mix until smooth. Fold in melted butter and then fold in the flour in 3 or 4 batches.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans, filling them 1/2 way.

Bake for 25 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, combine the 3 milks.

6. When the cupcakes are cooked and still warm, poke (a dozen) holes in them using a bamboo skewer.

7. Pour the milk mixture over the cupcakes, a tablespoon at a time until all the milk mixture is used.

8. Remove the cupcakes from the pans and cool completely.

9. Whip the remaining whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.

10. Pipe or spoon onto cupcakes and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Sé que usted les gustarán estos pastelitos tanto como yo!

Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Cupcakes

Here is the promised "Happy Birthday to Joel" cupcake recipe...




Starbucks Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino Cupcakes
source: adapted slightly from Kimz Kitchen

Cake:
1 Box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 (5.9 oz.) Instant Chocolate Pudding Box Mix
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
4 Eggs
1/2 Cup Warm Water
2 Cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350*.
1. Mix cake, pudding, sour cream, oil, eggs and water. Stir in chocolate chips.
2. Divide among 24 greased, cupcake liners.
3. Turn the oven down to 325* and bake 18-23 minutes or until done. Cool completely.

Chocolate Mousse:
7 Tbsp. Sugar
3 Egg Yolks
1/4 Cup plus 3 tsp. Water
1/2 pkg. Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 1/4 Cups Chilled Whipping Cream

1. Whisk sugar and yolks in a large metal bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water.
Continually whisk until liquid reaches 160*, about 8 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
3. When egg mixture has reached the desired temperature, pour it over the chocolate chips. Let this sit and melt for a few minutes. Then beat egg and chocolate mixture until cool and thick, about 5 minutes.

4. Beat the whipping cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form.

5. Fold whipped cream into chocolate.
6. Refrigerate until ready to use. (I put mine in a big resealable plastic bag, ready to pipe.)

Swiss Meringue Butter Cream Icing:
3/4 Cup Sugar
4 Egg Whites
1/4 Tbsp. Salt
2 Sticks, Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
1 Tbsp. Vanilla

1. Mix sugar, egg whites and salt in a heat proof mixing bowl. (I used the same metal mixing bowl, washed, of course.) You know the drill... place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until mixture reaches 160* and sugar is dissolved.
2. Return the mixing bowl to your mixer. Start beating on low speed and gradually increase to medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form. (Approximately 10 minutes.)

3. Reduce the speed to medium and add the butter, a few pieces at a time.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Switch to the paddle attachment and beat until are bubbles are gone. (Just a minute or two.)

To Assemble the Cupcakes:
-You will need the Cupcakes, Chocolate Mousse, Butter Cream Icing, and a jar of Hot Fudge.

1. Once the Cupcakes are completely cooled, core out the center.
I tried a knife but found that my melon baller worked great without tearing the cupcakes.

2. Spoon a small dollop of hot fudge (at room temperature, no need to heat it) into the bottom of the cupcake hole.

3. Pipe the Chocolate Mousse onto the top of the hot fudge sauce.

4. Pipe the Butter Cream Icing onto each cupcake. (I used a large star tip)

5. Pipe hot fudge sauce on top and finish with a Starbucks signature green straw.

This was by far, the most time-consuming cupcake I think I've made in my 29 years.
(For some of you reading this, that probably is not saying much....)
HOWEVER,
great was the reward.
Moist, chocolaty cake, fluffy mousse, creamy, dreamy icing.
Yes. I did that and they were awesome.
Just sayin'...

31 Days of Things I've Been Wanting to Do, Day 19: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting

I was introduced to this recipe from a friend in a lady's group at Church. Ever since I tasted them, I have been wanting to make them! I had NO problem finishing off one during our group meeting. (Ok, really, it was two. And I might have licked the cupcake liner.)

 This recipe is sure to be devoured by pumpkin lovers like myself! The cinnamon cream on top is the perfect topping to this moist pumpkin cake!

What You'll Need:

1 pkg. spice cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1 can pumkpin

1/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar

1 and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Here's How:

Heat oven to 350*

1. Beat cake mix, sour cream, pumpkin, oil and eggs until well blended. Spoon into 24, lined muffin cups.

2. Bake 20 -22 minutes or tooth pick tested. (Inserting a tooth pick in the center and it comes out clean.)

Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then remove to cool completely.

3. Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually beat in sugar. Blend in cinnamon and then pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes.

Please don't judge my Cupcake by it's cover!

Next time, I will be adding more powdered sugar to get my frosting to stay put.

Mine were messy! My husband was totally right when he said, "The messier, the better!"

Source: Pumpkin Cupcakes with Cinnamon-Cream Cheese Frosting