Caramel Vanilla Cupcakes

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I am totally over the weather lately.   All summer long it was either 100 degrees and humid or it was 50 degrees and rainy.  I thought once the fall got here things would change and maybe we would have beautiful sunny, cool fall weather but I was wrong.  It’s been extremely raining and gross so far this fall.   The only thing this weather is good for is baking.

So I’ve been doing a lot of baking.  It really does perk me up whenever I’m stuck in the house due to rain.  The only problem is whenever I make 2 dozen cupcakes they either sit around the house until we eat them all or I need to take them somewhere.  Since I’m back at work it’s easy to bring them to school on a Monday morning.

My sister-in-laws birthday was this month and I wanted to bake her something.  I wasn’t sure what her favorite type of cake was but I figured everyone likes vanilla and caramel so that’s what I went with.   I made a classic yellow batter and added in caramel sauce and Nielsen-Massey Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract. I like using that vanilla extract because it has a sweet yet spicy flavor that pairs well with caramel.

After the cupcakes came out of the oven I worked on the frosting.   I decided on a simple vanilla frosting again using the Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract.  After I piped it on I decided it should have a fall look to it.  So I sprinkled the cupcakes with gold sprinkles and put an edible fall leaf on top!

I think they they ended up looking ready for fall.  The cupcakes had the perfect consistency and lightly tasted of both caramel and vanilla.  The buttercream frosting had a lot of vanilla flavor which went well with the cupcakes.   My sister-in-law was thrilled by my choice of cupcakes and I think we all ended up enjoying them!

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Caramel Vanilla Cupcakes

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Warm caramel and vanilla cupcakes topped with silky vanilla buttercream frosting and fun fall decorations on top!

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Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

• 1 c. butter (2 sticks)
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Mexican Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 c. caramel sauce
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 c. milk

For the frosting:

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 4 c. powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons milk
• 1 Tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Mexican Vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin tins with cupcake liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar.
3. Add in the eggs and beat until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and caramel.
4. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
5. Pour half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix well. Add in the milk and stir until combined. Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups filling them 3/4 of the way full.
7. Bake for 25 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and cool completely.
9. To make the frosting beat the butter with a mixer until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, beating after each addition.
10. Add in the milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.
11. Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with gold sprinkles and top with an edible leaf if desired.

Notes

A Hezzi-D Original recipe

I was given a bottle of Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract to try but all opinions are 100% my own.