Caramel Cake Cupcakes

For my mom's birthday last week I wanted to try a new fabulous cupcake, and this was the one I found. It tasted just as divine as I imagined :)

BUT, do not make this when you are in a rush for time...the caramel icing takes time and patience!!

Caramel Cake Cupcakes

Source: The Cupcake Project

Ingredients:

1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature

1 C flour

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (The Cupcake Project states you can substitute 2% milk instead of sweetened condensed milk.  The cupcakes will just be a lot denser. I felt they were plenty dense as is)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

caramel icing (see below)

Directions:

Cream Butter and sugar, beat in eggs. Add flour and sweetened condensed milk, alternating between the two. Add the vanilla.

Fill the cupcake liner 3/4 full

Bake at 350F for 20-24 minutes, or until cupcakes bounce back when touched lightly. They will be slightly browned on top.

Serves: 10-12 cupcakes

Nutrition: 209 - unfrosted
 315 with caramel icing.

Caramel Icing
Source: adapted from The Cupcake Project

Ingredients:

2 C sugar

1/2 C unsalted butter

3/4 C evaporated milk

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, mix butter, evaporated milk and two cups of sugar. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Do not allow to come to a boil. Once sugar dissolves, reduce heat to low.

Stir regularly until the liquid reaches the soft ball stage. It's easiest to check for the soft ball stage with a candy thermometer (the caramel should be about 235 F).

If you don't have a candy thermometer, you can test by dropping a small amount of caramel into water to see if it forms a soft ball.

It may take up to thirty minutes to reach the soft ball stage.  Do NOT turn up the heat because the caramel can easily burn.

Mix in Vanilla. Let Cool - but keep an eye on it.

This is the 2nd spot where I swayed from the original recipe. After it cools about 30 minutes, stire for 10 minutes to get it nice and thick like an icing, so that it is creamy and ready to spread

Serves: 24cupcakes

Nutrition: 109 (for 24 servings)