Chocolate Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 15 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.
• In a large bowl, stir together the white sugar, flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Make a well in the center, and pour in the water, grape jelly, mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.
• Make the frosting while the cupcakes cool. Combine the butter, half-and-half and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Set the pan over a bowl of ice water and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Frost cupcakes when they are completely cool.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare cupcakes according to package directions. Cool completely before proceeding.
• In a piping bag, add thick stripes of caramel to the sides of the bag before spooning in the chocolate frosting. This will give a caramel swirl when the frosting is piped onto the cupcake. Pipe frosting onto all cupcakes.
• Crush mini pretzels to sprinkle over the top of the frosting. Garnish each cupcake with one whole mini pretzel.

Steps:

• Prepare cake mix batter according to package directions for cupcakes. Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups one-third full; set remaining batter aside. Bake at 350° for 7-8 minutes or until top of cupcake appears set., Gently press a caramel into each cupcake; sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts. Top with remaining batter. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until a toothpick comes out clean. , Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost with chocolate frosting and drizzle with ice cream topping. Sprinkle with additional nuts if desired.

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the cups of two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
• Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, about 1 1/2 minutes (or melt it in a double boiler).
• Put the granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and beat to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, and beat on low until just combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, about 1/4 cup batter in each. Bake until the cupcakes are domed slightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• For the icing: Make the icing right before you are ready to frost the cupcakes. Combine the granulated sugar, buttermilk, butter, baking soda and vanilla in a medium to large heavy-bottomed saucepan (the liquid will double in volume). Insert a candy thermometer, bring to a boil and boil over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches soft-ball stage (235 degrees F), 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat as it hits the soft-ball stage to avoid over caramelizing.
• Working very quickly but carefully, pour the caramel into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until cooled to warm, about 5 minutes. Working quickly, spoon about a tablespoon of the caramel icing onto each cupcake. (Caramel hardens a little as it cools; whip in a splash of heavy cream to loosen it up if needed.) Let stand until set, about 5 minutes. Decorate with edible silver dragees.

Steps:

• For the chocolate cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 24-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
• Cream the granulated sugar, butter and oil in a large bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fluffy. Add the vanilla and blend well. Sift the flour, baking soda and sea salt and gradually add to the sugar mixture, alternating with the milk.
• Whisk the cocoa and water until smooth in a small bowl. Add to the mixture and continue beating until well blended.
• Fill each muffin cup three-quarters full with batter. Bake the cupcakes until baked through the center, about 15 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool on wire racks.
• For the chocolate fudge filling: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Whisk the cocoa and water until smooth in a separate bowl. Whisk the cocoa mixture into the butter until blended and smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar until fluffy. Yield: 2 cups.
• For the buttercream base frosting: Whip the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and sea salt with a whisk attachment on low until smooth and creamy. Add the butter one slice at a time until well blended. Add the shortening and blend well. Whip on high until the mixture doubles, 10 to 12 minutes. Yield: 8 cups.
• For the salted caramel: Combine 1/4 cup room temperature water and the granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Boil without stirring, until the mixture is approximately 325 degrees F and a deep amber color, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the caramel from the heat and whisk in the cream. The caramel will bubble violently. Once smooth, stir in the butter and fine sea salt. Transfer the caramel to a heat safe container and allow cooling for 15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.
• For the salted caramel frosting: Whip 2 1/2 cups buttercream base frosting, the powdered sugar and 1/2 cup salted caramel with a whisk attachment until fluffy. Yield: 3 cups.
• Once the cupcakes are cool, cut out the center of each cupcake and fill with the chocolate fudge filling. Top each cupcake with the salted caramel frosting.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients and mix well. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin)., Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For icing, in a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. Remove from the heat; transfer to a small bowl. Cool to room temperature. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes.