Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes with Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting

As promised....cupcakes!!! Today I am going to treat you to the recipe for this little number......who doesn't like caramel and chocolate? If you don't, then don't answer that!

Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: 18 cupcakes

1 Cup Milk chocolate chips
1 Cup Milk + 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice (This will make buttermilk)
1 3/4 Cup Flour
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 Cup Vegetable oil
3 Eggs

Heat oven 325 degrees. In a medium sauce pan melt chocolate and milk mixture and heat over medium heat, until the chocolate is completely melted, whisk together. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda, sugar, and salt. In small bowl combine eggs, and oil. Once the chocolate is cool add a little to the flour mixture and combine. Then add the egg mixture and mix thoroughly. Slowly add chocolate into mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Mixture will be a little runny. Fill liners about 3/4 of the way and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cupcakes spring back when touched, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Once cupcakes have completely cooled, using a melon baller, remove small portion of cupcake.

Caramel

1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Tbsp. Butter
1/2 Cup Heavy whipping cream

In medium, heavy sauce pan, heat the sugar over medium heat, until the sugar liquefies. Do not stir, once the sugar turns to liquid swirl the sugar around the pan and cook until the sugar turns a nice amber color. *Warning: this next part can be very dangerous. It is always a good idea to wear oven mitts for the next part. Once the sugar has turned a nice amber color, add in 1 Tbsp. of butter and whisk. Then slowly add in the cream, make sure you lean back from the pan for this, it will be extremely hot! Don't worry, the sugar will solidify, then add the last tablespoon of butter and whisk. Continue to cook, whisking constantly until the sugar has remelted. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once caramel has cooled completely, spoon caramel into the holes of each cupcake.

Vanilla Whipped Cream Frosting

2 Cups Heavy whipping cream
1/2 Cup Powdered sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Cream bouquet emulsion (optional)

Place stainless steel bowl and whisk (beaters) in freezer for 5 minutes. Remove from the freezer and pour in the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and cream bouquet emulsion (if you have it, don't worry if you don't, it can be hard to find), on medium speed whip mixture for about 2 minutes. Then add sugar 1/4 cup at a time. Making sure to whip well after each addition. At this point, taste the mixture, if it is not sweet enough add another 1/4 cup of sugar. Continue to whip mixture until the cream stands up when you remove the beaters. Then place in a large ziploc bag and cut a small corner off, now pipe. If you have any piping tips, then cut a small corner, add the tip, then fill with the frosting. Now pipe those cupcakes and eat up!

These cupcakes are best stored in the fridge because of the whipped cream. 

"Devouring worlds, one book and recipe at a time."