Caramel Cupcakes With Butterscotch Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over med-low heat.
• Add brown sugar and stir constantly with wooden spoon.
• After 2-3mins, sugar will melt and mixture will become smooth, then begin to bubble (it's ok if it looks separated at this point).
• Once this happens, stir constantly for 2mins (less if sugar smells like it's burning).
• Carefully add cream and stir for another 2mins.
• Mixture will thicken slightly and look smooth and glossy.
• Remove pan from heat and let cool for 5mins, stirring frequently.
• Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla with wooden spoon.
• If frosting seems a bit dry, add more cream, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until thick, smooth and spreadable.

Steps:

• Make the cake 1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake liners. 2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 3. In another bowl, combine the sugar and eggs and beat with an electric mixer set at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the mayonnaise and vanilla just until combined. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in half of the flour mixture just until combined. 4. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half of the boiling water and beat at very low speed, just until the batter is smooth, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined, 5 to 10 seconds longer. Beat in the remaining water. The batter will be somewhat thin. 5. Divide the batter among the prepared cupcake cup liners, filling them about two-thirds full. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer the tin to wire racks and let cool completely. Make the caramel sauce 1. Combine the granulated sugar and water in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and starts to change color. Increase the heat to high and boil until the syrup turns a deep amber color, 4 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly. 2. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream with a wooden spoon. Return the pan to the stove, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring constantly, until the caramel thickens, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat and let cool. Make the buttercream frosting 1. While the sauce is cooling, prepare the buttercream. Combine the eggs and brown sugar in the metal bowl of a standing mixer. (Alternatively, use a metal mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer, but be prepared for a workout.) 2. Fill a large saute pan or frying pan with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. 3. Place the mixing bowl in the simmering water and whisk the eggs and sugar constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and fluffy and very hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature; it should be anywhere between 120°F and 140°F (49°C to 60°C). 4. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium-high speed until they are tripled in volume and form soft peaks and the bottom of the bowl is completely cool to the touch, about 10 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and salt. 5. While the eggs are mixing, unwrap the individual sticks of butter and rewrap them loosely in plastic wrap. Pound the butter 5 or 6 times with a rolling pin, or until the butter is soft and malleable but still cool. 6. With the mixer speed still on medium-high, add the butter, approximately 2 tablespoons at a time, to the egg mixture, beating in each addition until it is incorporated. When all the butter has been incorporated, slowly dribble in the bourbon. Don't start to panic if the buttercream seems too liquid or looks curdled as you beat in the butter. It will magically emulsify into a smooth, creamy frosting by the time the last little bit of butter is mixed in. Have faith; it's worth it. 7. When the buttercream is smooth and glossy, turn off the mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in 1/2 cup of the cool caramel sauce. For a stronger flavor, fold in up to 1/2 cup more caramel sauce. 8. When the cupcakes are completely cool, frost them with the Caramel-Butterscotch Buttercream Frosting and serve.

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 standard-size muffin cups with paper liners.
• Make the caramel: Bring 1/3 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan; keep it very hot. Put the 1/3 cup sugar in a heavy-based 8-inch skillet or shallow saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat. Shake the pan to level the sugar and leave it alone until it's about half melted. Shake and swirl the pan to help the sugar melt completely. Cook the melted sugar, constantly swirling or stirring with a wooden spoon, until it bubbles and turns a deep reddish caramel color.
• Immediately take the pan off the heat and carefully drizzle the boiling water over the caramel. The mixture will sputter. Return the pan to medium heat; stir constantly with the wooden spoon just until the caramel is completely dissolved. Pour the caramel into a heatproof liquid measuring cup. Pour about 1/3 cup water into the empty caramel pan and return to medium heat until very hot, stirring to dissolve any remaining caramel. Spoon enough of this liquid into the measuring cup with the caramel to bring the level up to 1/2 cup. Let cool until warm. (You can make the caramel hours or even a day ahead. When it is cool, cover it and leave it at room temperature.).
• Make the cupcakes: Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer) on medium speed until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and beaters. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, on medium speed until the batter is smooth, 30 to 60 seconds after each addition; scrape the bowl each time. Beat in the vanilla. On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three installments, alternating with the caramel. Mix only until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. (Use two rounded soup spoons: one to pick up the batter, one to push it off.) Don't smooth the batter. Bake until the cupcakes are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed in the center, 18 to 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Carefully remove the cupcakes from the tin, set them on the rack and let cool completely.
• Spoon a slightly heaping tablespoon of the frosting on top of each cupcake and use the back of the spoon to spread and swirl the frosting. If the frosting starts to stiffen, rewarm it briefly over medium-low heat until it's spreadable.
• Holding a cupcake by its liner, dip it into the chopped pecans, if using, turning to coat the frosting thoroughly. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Let the frosting set for about 30 minutes before serving.
• To make frosting: Melt the butter in a heavy 2-or 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir almost constantly with a wooden spoon. After 2 to 3 minutes, the sugar will melt and smooth out, and the mixture will begin to bubble (it's all right if it still looks separated at this point). Once this happens, stir constantly for 2 minutes (less if the sugar smells as if it's burning). Carefully add the 1/4 cup cream and stir constantly for another 2 minutes. The mixture will thicken slightly and look smooth and glossy.
• Remove the pan from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla with the wooden spoon. If the frosting seems a little dry, beat in more cream, a half tablespoon at a time, until frosting is thick, smooth, and spreadable.