Hundred Dollar Cupcakes With Caramel Icing Recipes

CARAMEL CUPCAKES WITH BUTTERSCOTCH FROSTING

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.

SPAM®-A-LICIOUS CUPCAKES WITH SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir grated luncheon meat in hot skillet until browned and crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer meat to a paper towel-lined plate and cool completely.
• Beat cake mix, water, mayonnaise, and eggs together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until just moistened. Increase speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Fold 2/3 of the fried luncheon meat into cake batter. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans set on wire racks until completely cool.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and heavy cream; stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and cook sauce without stirring for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir salt into sauce, and cool completely.
• Transfer sauce to a large bowl and beat in confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time until frosting reaches desired consistency. Spread frosting onto cooled cupcakes and top with remaining fried luncheon meat.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

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.

HUNDRED DOLLAR CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM ICING

Steps:

• Sift together twice the 2 cups flour through the baking soda.
• Add the cold water through the vanilla and blend well.
• Pour into two greased and floured 8" round layer cake pans.
• Bake at 350° 25-35 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Make the icing: Cook the flour with the milk, stirring constantly until very thick and smooth.
• Allow to cool slightly.
• Blend the butter and the salt together.
• When the milk mixture has cooled, add it to the butter mixture and beat at high speed 10 minutes.
• Use to frost cake.