It's camp week for the kiddos! I miss my baking assistants, but they are having a blast swimming, hiking, and making friends at summer camp. I always make a special desserts for the kids at the end of the day when they return home. Today, I decided to make these chocolate salted caramel cupcakes-YUM! Whenever we travel out east, we stop for salted caramel shakes at our favorite "burger and shake" restaurant. These salted caramel cupcakes remind me of our summer road trips and the great times we have as a family. Can't wait to pick up the kids from camp and tell them what we're having for dessert tonight!
Ingredients:
Cupcakes: One box devil's food cake or ingredients for our recipe for devil's food cake.
Salted buttercream frosting: 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 1 stick salted butter; 1/4 cup shortening; 3 tablespoons milk; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1 tsp. sea salt; 3 tablespoons caramel sundae topping
Garnish: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1 tablespoon shortening; one small bag of pretzels
Directions:
Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcakes according to directions on the back of box or prepare our recipe (see link above). Line a cupcake tin with liners. Fill each 2/3 full with batter.
Frosting: Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and shortening. Add milk, vanilla, salt, and caramel sundae topping. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. When cupcakes are cooled, use a knife to cut a small home in the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with caramel sundae topping. Pipe frosting onto the center of the cupcakes.
Garnish: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and shortening on 50% power for one minute. Stir. Microwave for 30 additional seconds, if necessary. Stir again. Dip pretzels into the melted chocolate and allow to harden on waxed paper. When dry, place on top of each cupcake. If desired, break 10 or so pretzels into small pieces as a garnish. Place any unused caramel topping in a bowl. Use a whisk to drizzle caramel over the cupcakes.
Cupcakes: One box devil's food cake or ingredients for our recipe for devil's food cake.
Salted buttercream frosting: 2 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar; 1 stick salted butter; 1/4 cup shortening; 3 tablespoons milk; 1 tsp. vanilla; 1 tsp. sea salt; 3 tablespoons caramel sundae topping
Garnish: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips; 1 tablespoon shortening; one small bag of pretzels
Directions:
Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cupcakes according to directions on the back of box or prepare our recipe (see link above). Line a cupcake tin with liners. Fill each 2/3 full with batter.
Frosting: Using the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and shortening. Add milk, vanilla, salt, and caramel sundae topping. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix on medium speed for 3-5 minutes. When cupcakes are cooled, use a knife to cut a small home in the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with caramel sundae topping. Pipe frosting onto the center of the cupcakes.
Garnish: In a microwave safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and shortening on 50% power for one minute. Stir. Microwave for 30 additional seconds, if necessary. Stir again. Dip pretzels into the melted chocolate and allow to harden on waxed paper. When dry, place on top of each cupcake. If desired, break 10 or so pretzels into small pieces as a garnish. Place any unused caramel topping in a bowl. Use a whisk to drizzle caramel over the cupcakes.
Salted Caramel Sundae topping will give your cupcakes an authentic salted caramel taste!
So sweet, salty, and delicious!!!