Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

My friend Christina got engaged last week, and her new fiance proposed using ‘thier kids’. (see below pic)…how cute is that!

Christina is known for her uber picky eating habits, so when I heard she loves cupcakes I knew that store bought would just not do!

I am not much of a perfectionist when it comes to baking. I prefer a more ‘rustic’ approach. Piped on frosting and sprinkly little things are just not me. But with some store bought caramel topping drizzled on top and a wafer cookies from Trader Joes, I think they came out okay! Christina loved them and that’s what counts…I believe she downed 2 of them! (oops, didn’t mean to tell!).

The secret to these beauties is using Jumbo cupcake liners in your regular size muffin tin. It turns ordinary cupcakes into big beautiful cupcakes!

You

Basic Chocolate Cake (or use Duncan Hines Devils food in a pinch)

2 cups white sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin tin with Jumbo Baking Cups.

In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes on medium speed of mixer. Stir in the boiling water last. Batter will be thin. Pour evenly into the prepared muffin baking cups.Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool before frosting.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)
8 oz Cream Cheese
4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup store bought Caramel Sauce (like Smuckers)

Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix until well blended, add caramel sauce and mix until well blended.
Frost cupcakes.
To drizzle caramel sauce: Use at room tempature. Dip a fork into the sauce and drizzle over cupcakes. (the fork keeps it from globbing up like a spoon would).

Cupcake perfection without all the piping and sprinkling!