Triple Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Sadly, a couple of weeks ago my hard drive crashed taking with it all of my email (which had a folder full of recipes!) and everything else I needed to work. Luckily, all of my photos were saved on my external hard drive! I just got it back up and running again, it needed a new hard drive, and it is much happier now! To celebrate, I thought I'd post a recipe for some DELICIOUS cupcakes! Seriously, if you like caramel, you will love these. They are amazing. They are a little time consuming, but well worth the effort!

Triple Salted Caramel Cupcakes
(original recipe can be found at www.sprinklebakes.com)

Cupcakes: 
 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 stick of unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line muffin tins with papers.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add vanilla. Mix and scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about halfway full. Bake for about 25 minutes. When done, transfer pans to wire racks and cool 10 minutes. Turn cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

Salted Caramel Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons salted butter, cubed
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream, at room temperature

Melt the sugar over medium high heat in large pot. Whisk the sugar as it melts and cook until it becomes a deep amber color. Add the butter and stir it in until melted. Pour in the heavy cream (mixture will foam) and whisk until you get a smooth sauce. You may have some lumps, but keep stirring until they have melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. 

Cut a small round piece out of the tops of each cooled cupcake and pour in 1 teaspoon of caramel. Replace the cake piece and set cupcakes aside. 
 




Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.  Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.

In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the caramel. Beat on medium high speed until light and airy, and completely mixed (about 2 minutes). Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration. If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny. If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. 

Top caramel-filled cupcakes with frosting. 

Cake Pops

Cake pops have exploded all over the internet! One day I had never heard of them, and the next day I saw them everywhere! Some of them are so cute and creative (you should definitely google cake pops and look at some of the images for ideas!). I decided to try my hand at them and see if I liked them or not. I tried them two ways, with the stick pointing into the air (cake down on the pan) and the stick going down (like an actual sucker). Putting the cake on the pan was a lot easier for me. If you want them to be like actual suckers, put them in a piece of styrofoam to keep their shape.

My husband totally loves these! He asks me to make them all the time. I mean who doesn't love cake? And little tiny bite size pieces on a stick? Can't get much better than that! These are perfect for any sort of celebration. A party, wedding, baby shower, bridal shower ... you name it.




Cake Pops

Ingredients:
1 box cake mix (cook as directed on box) - I made two batches, one was chocolate and one was red velvet
1 16oz tub frosting (I used chocolate for the chocolate cake and cream cheese for the red velvet)
1 package of chocolate bark or candy melts (if you want to drizzle with additional colors, choose as many as you'd like)

Sucker sticks

Directions:
1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl. Break apart either with hands or my kitchen aid mixer was really fast!
2. Mix thoroughly with 1/2-1 tub frosting. (I used about 3/4 of a tub of frosting). Again, you can mix with your hands...or a kitchen aid mixer works really well!
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. I used my cookie scooper to get a consistent size and I ended up with 48)
4. Chill
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Insert about 1/4" of one end of the sucker stick into the chocolate and then insert the sucker stick into the ball. (This will hold the sucker sticks in like glue and makes it easier when you start to coat the cake).


7. Chill again
6. Reheat chocolate if needed. Roll balls in chocolate and place on wax paper until firm. Drizzle with additional colors if you choose and decorate as desired!

**If your melted chocolate is a little too thick and weighs too much for your cake pop, you can thin it out a little with a little bit of vegetable oil**

Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes with a Whipped Ganache Frosting

I have a friend who along with her 4 year old son, has Celiac Disease. They cannot process gluten, which means most baked goods are off limits. I have been wanting to take them treats but didn't want either her or her son to be left out, so I looked for a recipe that the entire family could enjoy. People at school had made flourless chocolate cakes with a poured ganache over the top, so I took that idea and just made it into smaller portions. Instead of a poured ganache, I whipped mine and then I was able to frost them instead. They turned out delicious. They are a very rich dessert and one that is a must have for any chocolate lover.



Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes (Gluten Free)
(Recipe found at glutenfreecooking.about.com, submitted by Teri Gruss)

**This recipe will make 24 cupcakes**

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs (or 7 medium eggs)
1 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350

1. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium low heat until melted and smooth.
2. Add sugar and salt and reduce heat to low. Cook while stirring for about one minute, or until sugar starts to dissolve. (The mixture will still be grainy, the sugar will not fully dissolve until they are baked)
3. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. (Mixture will look smooth and glossy)
4. Use a mesh hand sieve to sift cocoa into mixture. This will prevent lumps. Whisk until the cake batter is smooth.
5. Pour batter into cupcake liners OR you can butter and dust the cupcake pan with cocoa powder if you do not want to use liners.
6. Bake for 15+ minutes. Honestly, you will have to keep checking it. You do not want to overcook these cupcakes. I think mine went for about 18-20 minutes.
7. Pull out and let cool to room temperature. (I cooled mine off in the fridge)
8. Frost with whipped ganache (recipe to follow).

(These are also delicious topped with fresh strawberries!)

Reminder: Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.

Whipped Ganache Frosting
(Recipe found on foodnetwork.com, submitted by Alton Brown)

You will use equal parts chocolate to heavy cream. So, if your bag of chocolate is 10 oz... you will use 10 oz of heavy cream. :)

1 bag bittersweet chocolate chips (My bag was 10 oz)
10 oz heavy cream (or more/less if your bag is bigger/smaller)

1. Place the chocolate into a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat the heavy cream in a microwavable container for 3-4 minutes on high, or in a saucepan on the stove top until it just begins to simmer. Be careful not to let the cream boil over.
3. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand for about 2 minutes.
4. Mix well until chocolate is melted and it's just syrupy (is that a word?) goodness
5. Put mixture into fridge for about an hour or until setup and chilled.
6. Whip the mixture until light and fluffy.
7. Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!

Banana Cake

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
(Recipe courtesy of food.com)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed
2 tsp lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Optional: Walnuts for a garnish

1. Preheat oven to 275 (seems low, I know)
2. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan
3. In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with lemon juice, set aside
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
5. In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 1/8 sugar until light and fluffy
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla
7. Beat in the flour mixture alternating with the buttermilk
8. Stir in banana mixture
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
10. Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes.
11. For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
12. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla
13. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.
14. Spread on cooled cake.
15. Sprinkle chopped walnuts over the top of the frosting if desired.

Coconut Pecan Icing

I am not really a cake fan. I'll admit, sometimes it's good..but usually in moderation. The exception in my book is German Chocolate Cake with Coconut Pecan Icing. Delicious. This homemade icing doesn't disappoint.


Coconut Pecan Icing
(Courtesy of Cooks Illustrated)

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/3 cups (7 oz) sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans, toasted (either in 350 degree oven until browned about 8 minutes, or on the stove top in a frying pan)

1. Whisk yolks in medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in evaporated milk. Add sugars, butter and salt and cook over medium high heat whisking constantly until mixture is boiling, frothy and slightly thickened (about 6 minutes).

2. Transfer mixture to bowl, whisk in vanilla, then stir in coconut. Cool until just warm, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool or cold, at least 2 hours or up to 3 days.

3. Stir in pecans just before cake assembly.

Enjoy!

Hot Chocolate Layer Cake with Homemade Marshmallows

This year for Mart's birthday I wanted to make him something special. I am not much of a baker, but this really wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. He loves chocolate and we saw this in a magazine at school. It was delicious! The cake was really dense, almost like a brownie crossed with cake. It was so rich that a small slice is more than enough.

Hot Chocolate Layer Cake with Homemade Marshmallows

For the cake:

6 oz (3/4 cup) unsalted butter; more for the pans

13 ½ oz (3 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pans

¾ cup canola oil

4 ½ oz bittersweet chocolate; finely chopped (I used chocolate chips)

3 cups white sugar

2 ¼ oz (3/4 cup) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (If you use Dutch cocoa powder, don’t use any baking soda. Use baking powder instead and double what it should have been for the soda. i.e. 1 tsp baking soda = 2 tsp baking powder instead)

3 large eggs, at room temperature

¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature

2 Tbs. vanilla extract

2 ½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp. kosher salt

For the frosting:

2 ½ cups heavy cream

3 oz (6 Tbs) unsalted butter

2 tsp vanilla extract (originally called for 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out)

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used chocolate chips)

2 cups white sugar

6 oz cocoa powder

½ cup corn syrup

¼ tsp kosher salt

Position racks in the bottom and top thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 350 F.

Butter three 9x2” round cake pans (springform works best) and line each with a parchment round. Butter the parchment, then dust with flour and knock out the excess.

In a 3 quart saucepan, combine the butter, oil, chopped chocolate and 1 cup water. Heat over medium heat until melted.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar and cocoa powder. Pour the hot chocolate mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until combined.

Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then whisk in the buttermilk, vanilla, baking soda(powder), and salt. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans.

Set two pans on the top rack and the third on the lower rack. Stagger the pans on the oven racks so that no pan is directly over another. Bake, swapping and rotating the pans’ positions after 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cook on racks for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks, remove the parchment paper and cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

In a 4 quart saucepan over low heat, combine the cream, butter and vanilla and stir until the butter is melted. Whisk in the chopped chocolate until melted (completely melted! Don’t leave any little tiny chunks). Whisk in the sugar, cocoa powder, syrup, and salt until smooth. Be sure the cocoa powder dissolves completely. Pour into a 9x13 pan and freeze until firm (about 2 hours) or refrigerate overnight.

Remove the frosting from the fridge or freezer. Transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium for 2 minutes to soften. Change to a whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Homemade Marshmallows:

Gelatin 1 1/4 oz
Cold Water 16 fl oz
Sugar 1 lb 8 oz
Corn Syrup 12 oz
Honey 8 oz
Vanilla 1/2 fl oz

1. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Bloom the gelatin in 8 oz water. (Blooming is when you add the gelatin to water and wait until it absorbs it all and becomes a big blob)
3. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, corn syrup, honey and remaining 8 oz water in a heavy bottom saucepan. Stir to ensure all the sugar is moistened. Bring to a boil over high head stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stop stirring and skim the surface of the syrup to remove any impurities. Continue to cook without stirring, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan using a wet pastry brush. Heat to 252 degrees. Remove from heat, cool to approx. 210 degrees.
4. While the sugar is cooling, dissolve the gelatin over simmering water (using a double boiler, put a metal or glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, but do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
5. Stir the gelatin into the cooled sugar syrup using the whip attachment on high speed until medium peaks form.
6. Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared sheet pan, the easiest way to do this is to place the mixture in the frame, place a sheet of oiled parchment on top of the marshmallow mixture and roll the marshmallow into the pan.
7. Remove the slab from the pan, inverting onto work surface and peel off the paper.
8. Cut the marshmallows and coat in 1/2 powdered sugar and 1/2 cornstarch.

Make the marshmallows. (Adrienne made some for her cake so I just used her leftovers). I'm sure you could use store bought as well, but it won't be quite as cool.

Assemble cake.

Here is my finished cake with the homemade marshmallows piled on top and dusted with some dutch cocoa powder!






It took me all day long, but I was so proud of my cake and really excited for Mart to see it and taste it. He loved it and it was by far the best birthday cake I have ever made.