Chocolate Toffee Cupcake with Salted Caramel Frosting

Part II of Graduation Party:  Here is the chocolate cupcake I also made for the graduation party.  Indulge!

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

1 package devil’s food cake mix

1 package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 cup sour cream

1 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon instant espresso granules dissolved in ½ cup warm water

1 cup heath toffee bits

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL

2 cups granulated sugar

12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon any flaky sea salt

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL CREAM FILLING

1 cup marshmallow cream

6 tablespoons butter, softened

¼ cup salted caramel

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Combine and set aside

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING

(adapted slightly from Pioneer Woman’s, “The Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had”)

5Tablespoons Flour

½ cup milk

½ cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar (not powdered sugar)

½ cup salted caramel

DIRECTIONS:

FOR THE CUPCAKES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line muffin tin with paper liners.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla, toffee bits and espresso water mixture.  Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.

Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 tins, about 3 tablespoons of batter per tin.

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until the tops of the cakes spring back when lightly touched.  Allow cupcakes to cool.  Once the cupcakes have cooled core out middle and fill with salted caramel cream filling.

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL

Place sugar in a heavy saucepan.  Heat the sugar over a medium high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt.  You’ll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that’s okay.  Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down.  Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted and swirl the pan while the sugar cooks.

Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color.  This is where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in seconds.  If you are using a thermometer, cook the sugar until it reaches 350 degrees F.

As soon as the caramel reaches 350 degrees, add the butter all at once.  Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added.  Whisk the butter into the caramel until completely melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the cream into the caramel.  Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce.  Add the salt and whisk to combine.

Set aside to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into a glass jar and let cool to room temperature.  You can refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 weeks.  You’ll want to warm the sauce up before using.

FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING

In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and cream, stirring constantly until it thickens.  You will want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix more like brownie mix.  Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.  It must be completely cool before you use it.  Stir in vanilla

While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter, sugar and salted caramel until light and fluffy.  Then add the cooled flour mixture and beat the living daylights out of it.  If it looks separated, you haven’t beaten it enough.  Beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.

Grab a spoon and taste this wonderful goodness.  If there is any left after your taste test, pipe onto your cupcakes finish with a sprinkle of toffee bits and a drizzle of salted caramel and a piece of a chocolate toffee bar.  Indulge!