caramel corn cupcakes

I blame these cupcakes on last week's weather. 

Last week was absolutely wonderful. The air was warm, but there was a crisp breeze to cut through all the humidity. Perfection. Plus, it seems like everywhere I went I smelled fried food and I automatically started craving fall. 

I love summer, but I'm definitely ready for football games, crunchy leaves, apple desserts, pumpkin lattes, bath and body works candles, and craft fairs. For me, fall is all about caramel and I always equate the season with caramel corn. I guess it's because the scent is so warm and inviting. All these things inspired me to put the flavors of caramel corn into a cupcake. 

So, these cakes start with boxed white cake mix, but we aren't going to follow the directions on the back of the package. We're adding whole eggs instead of egg whites, salted butter in place of oil, and substituting milk (with a little something extra) for the water. My goal was to make the cake itself taste more salty, buttery, popcorn and top it all off with a sweet puff of caramel-y frosting. Mission accomplished thanks to a few tricks!

 

Caramel Corn Cupcakes

makes at 24 cupcakes

For the Cake

1 16.5 ounce box Duncan Hines Classic White Cake

3 large eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 cup salted butter, melted

2 cups caramel corn plus more for decoration ( I used Cracker Jack but homemade would be good too)

1/8 teaspoon butter extract

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put caramel corn in a large bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan on medium-high, heat milk until tiny bubbles appear around the edge and immediately remove from heat. Pour scalded milk over the caramel corn and allow to steep and cool for about 10 minutes.

Once the milk is cool add it to the bowl of a mixer along with the cake mix, eggs, and melted butter.Mix until just combined and the cake mix is fully incorporated. Add in the butter extract and salt. Mix until just combined.

Spoon batter into 24 lined cupcake tins and bake for 13 - 15 minutes. Or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before removing cupcakes from the pan and cooling completely on wire racks.  

For the Frosting

2 sticks butter
3 - 4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup caramel (either store-bought or homemade)
Pinch of salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer cream butter on medium speed. Once the butter is light and fluffy add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing completely before adding more. Add in caramel and salt and mix until well combined. Turn mixer on higher and whip until frosting is light and fluffy. 

Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and top with caramel corn and more caramel if you want!

Bring on the apple pie floats!

roasted peaches with walnut crumble

It's officially SUMMER, and you know what that means....peaches! Today I'm sharing my go-to summer dessert - roasted peaches topped with salted caramel ice-cream and a brown sugar walnut crumble - on Oh the Lovely Things! This dessert is so easy and is perfect for summer parties or as the perfect ending to a simple summer dinner. 

This recipe is so simple and starts with roasted peaches. If you haven't started roasting your fruit, jump on the bandwagon immediately! It's so simple and brings out all the flavors of your favorite fruit. Once the peaches are roasted to perfection they get topped with the most delicious crumble made with walnuts, butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. I'm convinced that brown sugar, cinnamon, and peaches should never be parted. After you try this recipe, you'll be convinced of that too!

After the peaches are roasted and topped with the walnut crumble the whole dessert gets finished with salted caramel gelato. You could totally skip the gelato, but please don't! The salty caramel rounds out the flavors perfectly!

I was so excited to be contacted by Clemence since her blog is full of beautiful things and lots of inspiration. Head on over to Oh the Lovely Things to see the recipe!

Salted Caramel Brownie Pies

I don't even know where to begin with this recipe. It's one of the most delicious and requested things that I make and I always welcome the opportunity to do so.

Fluffy, light, airy, buttercream gets sandwiched between two brownie cookies with crackly tops and tender middles. It doesn't get any better than that folks. 

Oh, and see that flower up there? Yeah...that's a rhododendron bloom from my parent's yard and I picked it illegally and apparently gave my father a heart attack. I guess I'll do almost anything to get a good photo!

Salted Brownie Pies

makes 10-12 sandwiches

inspired by The Baker Chick

For the Brownie Sandwich Cookies

12 ounces dark chocolate, total (5 ounces roughly chopped)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Microwave butter until melted and add 7 ounces of chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

Place eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add in flour, baking powder, melted chocolate, and the 5 remaining ounces of chopped chocolate. Mix until just combined and put in the fridge to chill for no more than 10 minutes. 

Scoop dough into a pastry bag and cut off the end. Pipe 2 inch circles of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. You'll know the cookies are finessed when the tops of crackled. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool.

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream Filling

1 cup unsalted butter, softened (I usually allow my butter to rest on the counter overnight)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 caramel sauce (I used the pre-made stuff, but homemade would work as well)

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Place butter, sugar, caramel, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed until fluffy.

Place buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a decorative attachment and pipe onto the flat side of a brownie cookie. Sandwich the filling with another brownie cookie. 

Sprinkle fine sea salt on the tops of the finished sandwich cookies and enjoy!