Salted Caramel Cupcakes

My plan is to post a cupcake recipe every so often on this blog. I started with a Salted Caramel recipe I found in a cupcake recipe book. My nephews and I mixed and baked together one rainy afternoon. As you can see from the pictures, they didn't quite turn out as beautiful cupcakes. However, they taste so delicious!

Later, I googled the recipe, and other people seemed to have no trouble getting picture perfect cupcakes. Some ideas I had for why mine didn't come out looking like bakery cupcakes:

It was rainy and humid

In the batter, I used 2% instead of whole milk

In the caramel, I used half and half instead of cream

I was pressed for time at the end, so I didn't let the caramel cool completely before mixing it in with the buttercream.

As I mentioned, these were so yummy! So I present the recipe below. Plan plenty of time to make these, there are three parts to make.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski

1 1/4 c flour

3/4 t baking powder

1/4 t salt

1 c firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c butter at room temperature

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 whole milk

Caramel Swirl Buttercream {recipe below}

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350*. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper or foil liners.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer on medium high speed, beat the sugars and butter together until light and fluffy. add the eggs and vanilla  and beat until combined. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, beating on low speed until just combined.

Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full, bake at 350* for 20-22 minutes.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

3 egg whites at room tempature

3/4 c sugar

pinch salt

1 c unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces at room tempature

Caramel Mix-in

1 1/2 c sugar

1 1/4 c heavy cream

Make the caramel first. In a heavy bottomed, high-sided sauce pan, melt the sugar over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the sugar is melted and turned golden amber.

Carefully pour the cream down the side of the pan in a slow, steady stream {it will bubble and spatter}, strring constantly until completely smooth. Stir in the salt. Pour the caramel in a heatproof bowl and let cool completely before using.

Buttercream

In a large heat proof bowl, combine the egg whites and sugar. set the bowl over {but not touching} simmering water and heat hte mixture, whisking constantly, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch {about 160*}. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until it is fluffy and holds stiff peaks {should not look dry}.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the salt and the butter, a few pieces at a time, beating well after each addition. If the frosting appears to separate or is very liquid after all the butter is added, continue to beat on high speed until it is smooth and creamy.

Gently mix in the caramel until it is swirled, not fully mixed.