Chocolate Pretzel Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting Recipes

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:

• 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:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cupcakes as directed on box; cool completely on cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat Salted Caramel Cheesecake Filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and well combined. Using melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake about 1 inch deep. Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon filling.
• To make Salted Caramel Buttercream: In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined; beat in vanilla. In large microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and 1 tablespoon of the milk uncovered on High about 1 minute or until caramels are melted; stir until smooth. Stir caramel mixture and kosher salt into buttercream mixture until combined, adding remaining milk until smooth and spreadable.
• In small bowl, mix chopped pecans and crushed pretzels. Place buttercream in large decorating bag fitted with large open star tip. Frost 1 cupcake at a time with buttercream, then roll immediately in pecan mixture. Repeat with remaining cupcakes, frosting and rolling in pecan mixture.
• Drizzle cupcakes with caramel topping. Sprinkle with additional kosher salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

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:

• Chocolate Cake
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cupcake pans with 24 baking cups.
• Place the cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and pour the hot coffee over. Mix on low speed until a thick paste forms and the mixture stops steaming, about 1 minute.
• Increase the mixer speed to medium. In a 4-cup measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, egg, egg yolk, and salt and mix lightly with a fork, ensuring yolks are broken. Slowly pour into the mixer bowl.
• Stop the mixer, detach the paddle, and scrape the bottom of the bowl well to loosen any caked-on cocoa. Reattach the paddle and turn the mixer to medium, letting it run for 1 minute. Stop mixer again.
• Sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda and add to the batter. Mix on low speed til just combined. Remove the bowl and paddle and use paddle attachment to scrape down the sides of the bowl, ensuring everything is mixed.
• Scoop the batter into prepared baking cups, filling them two thirds of the way.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. The cupcakes are done when the centers spring back when you touch them.
• Remove cupcakes from oven. Let cool completely.
• Peanut Butter Buttercream
• Prepare master recipe for buttercream . Once butter is added, add the peanut butter and salt and mix on high to combine. Taste for seasoning. If desired, add more peanut butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, or a pinch more salt. Continue until, after tasting, your eyes roll into the back of your head.
• Classic Ganache
• Place the chocolate in a bowl, and shake the bowl back and forth until the chocolate flattens out on top.
• Heat the cream and sea salt in a medium saucepan until it comes to a boil.
• Immediately pour the hot cream mixture over chocolate, and let sit for two minutes to allow chocolate to melt.
• Using a heatproof spatula, stir the cream and chocolate together until completely smooth.
• Allow to cool slightly before drizzling on the cupcakes. The ganache should not be hot to the touch; it should still be liquid. If it cools completely and becomes solid, microwave it on 50 percent power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until desired consistency is reached.
• Assembly
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with the peanut buttercream, and pipe onto each chocolate cupcake. Put the cupcakes into the refrigerator so the buttercream hardens, about 20 minutes.
• Pulse the pretzels and peanuts in a food processor until they're coarse crumbs. Alternately, place in a strong zip-top bag and repeatedly smack the bag with a rolling pin, a heavy skillet, or anything else you find enjoyable. Place the crumbs in a pie dish or baking pan.
• Remove the cupcakes from the refrigerator and gently roll the sides of the buttercream in the pretzel mixture. Pour a handful of the mixture over the top of each cupcake and lightly pack on with hand. Shake off any excess and set aside.
• Drizzle ganache across each cupcake.