Too good to name Cupcakes

I know ya'll know I love desserts, and I'm sure you know I love cupcakes, but these may, just may take the cake. Yesterday I was discussing with my oldest sister cupcakes. What she has made, what type I should make etc etc. Anywho, she suggested a banana salted caramel cupcake which I thought was funny because I literally, not two days early, had been thinking about the same flavor combo. Great minds think a like!

But today I wasn't going to make that flavor combo just yet, I was going to make a coconut-lime white chocolate cupcake, sounds good right? I think so...but I didn't make that.  My sis planted a salted carmel frosting in my mind I just couldn't shake it. My mind was consumed. So, I googled how to make it and then I bing-ed how to make it. I was hesitant, I wasn't sure I wanted to boil sugar, looks dangerous. Then I remembered I was a Pirate and I laugh in the face of danger... HA!

So Salted Carmel Butter cream was chosen as my frosting. Banana cake, however was not my cake choice, Dark Chocolate cake was. Oh yea, think about that combo for a minute, I'm hitting your salty taste buds, sweet taste buds and bitter. FABULOUS!

As you may remember from my previous posts,I haven't had luck with chocolate cake. This recipe I think, may be keeper, maybe. It's a fudgier more brownie like, but I think it pairs well with this frosting. Let me be honest with you though, anything would pair well with this frosting.

Since I'm being honest, I'll give you a heads up. This cupcake isn't exactly a weight-watchers dessert, it's more anti weight-watchers, in a really good I-can't-help-but-eat-two-of-you kind of way. Just trust me, make this.

Salted Carmel Butter Cream:
1/2 C  Sugar
4 Tbs Water
1/2 C  Heavy cream
2 tsp   Vanilla
1 1/2  Sticks Salted Butter
2 C. Powdered Sugar

In a medium sized sauce pan add water and sugar. Only stir to combine, nothing more. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Do not stir sugar water, it could cause crystallization. If you feel the need to stir, just give the pan a little swirl. Allow the sugar to boil to an amber color, this happens after about 6 minutes of boiling. Be very careful, the sugar go from light brown to amber to burnt in less than a minute. Once the sugar turns amber, remove it from the heat. Gradually stir the cream into the hot mixture. Adding the cream will cause the sugar to bubble up something fierce to slowly add it. Stir with a wooden spoon and add vanilla until all lumps are removed. Set aside and allow mixture to cool. About 25 minutes.

In a medium bowl beat the butter until fluffy then gradually add the powdered sugar. Once the butter and sugar are combine slowly add the carmel. I added about 3/4 of the caramel and left the rest to drizzle of the cupcake. Once everything is combine put it into the refrigerator until ready to use.

Dark Chocolate Cupcake:
1 1/2 Stick Butter
4oz Bittersweet Chocolate (chopped)
3/4 C Flour
1 C Sugar
2  Eggs
1/8 C Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp Vanilla
3/4 tsp Baking powder
Pinch of Salt

Melt together the butter and bittersweet chocolate. Add to sugar and combine. Add eggs one at a time allowing them to combine before adding the next. Add vanilla. In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl when needed. Fill wells 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes. Once out of the oven allow muffins to cool for 10 minutes then remove from pan and cool on a rack. Frost with frosting and eat eat eat!

Piece!