Spiced Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Boy, this week has barely started and I just know it will be a busy one! But busy can be good, as long as we have a game plan and we are striving forward. J

So my tasks this week are not one, but 2 co-worker birthdays! Also, I am taking a new cupcake decorating class, with fall as the theme! The class is on Thursday, and so stay tuned for posts to come. Needless to say I am in baking heaven! The first birthday request is for our “Lil’ Mama” at work who will be 51 years young tomorrow! Her request was a simple spice cake with the caramel frosting I made with my Butter Pecan Cupcakes. I did change a couple of things in the frosting recipe though: I had 1 cup of butter-flavored shortening in hand so I used that instead of the butter. One note about shortening, after using it in my Wilton decorating class, I have found that it lets the frosting hold its shape better than butter. Since butter is more temperature sensitive, for you to get the best results with a detailed decoration, you have to place it in the fridge, but that is not the case with shortening. Also, added the caramel topping at the end of everything, after I already mixed in the milk and the powdered sugar alternatively. The recipe below reflects my changes.

So for the cupcake itself, I followed the recipe that the book Hello, Cupcake! has on “semi-homemade” cupcakes. It is basically utilizing a boxed cake mix, and add a few ingredients to make it more homemade-like. So if you are ever looking for a quick way to make cupcakes, but adding an extra-special touch, then here is the recipe you should try (a regular yellow boxed cake will also work). Enjoy!

Spiced Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream frosting

Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup of buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil (the same amount of oil recommended by the box recipe)

1 box (18.25oz) of spiced cake mix

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two 12-muffin pans with cupcake liners. Beat all eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the buttermilk and oil into the eggs and beat until well mixed. Add the contents of the boxed cake mix into the wet ingredients and mix for at least 2 minutes. Scoop ~1.5 Tbsp of batter into each cupcake liner, and bake the cupcakes for 15-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup butter-flavored shortening

1.5 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp salt

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tbsp milk

¼ cup caramel topping (I used Smucker’s Caramel Flavored Topping)

Directions:

Beat first three ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 1 Tbsp. (1Tbsp = 3 tsp) milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition. Beat in up to 2 Tbsp. additional milk for desired consistency. Finally add the caramel topping, and mix unitl just barely blended.

Adapted from Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make and Sweet Tooth Lulu