Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Have you ever heard of or had caramel cream cheese frosting? No? You don't know what you're missing. Everyone should have this in their life. Every... one... and often. This little creation is very likely one of my best, and I'd bet money that if you like coffee flavor, carmel, pecans and chocolate, then you will LOVE this cupcake. One of my coworkers said it was the best cupcake he'd ever had, while another said that if I was ever able to enter a cupcake contest, then I needed to enter this one!

Back in October on our anniversary trip, my husband and I visited a number of small-batch distilleries in Tennessee and Kentucky. It was a fun trip. We got to sample many different types of alcohol and see how these small distilleries created their concoctions. We found several we enjoyed and purchased them for our collection. One of those gems we found was a liqueur from Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery in Nashville. It's called Louisa's and it has a coffee, caramel and pecan flavor. And it is amazing. I've used it in brownies; I made a frosting with it - which came out delicious; and then I decided to make a treat around those flavors so I could use it again. What you will read is the result! Fluffy, moist flavorful chocolate cake baked with Louisa's liqueur and caramel cream cheese frosting topped with toasted pecans. The only thing I may try to add next time is a little drizzle of caramel sauce. I bet it will look beautiful and taste amazing!

Cake

2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder 
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp instant espresso
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup oil (vegetable works fine, but I use olive)
1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery's Louisa's liqueur
1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350. Line 24 muffin tins with liners. If you want to make this a cake, grease and flour two or three 9-inch round pans depending on how many layers you want, and then place parchment paper in the bottom of your pans. 

To make the best cake you can, unless you want this in your cake batter:

You must sift the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, espresso and salt, together into the bowl of your stand mixer.

In a separate container, a glass bowl or large measuring cup, mix the oil, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla, and whisk to combine.

Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with the mixer on low speed. Then increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes.

Combine the 1/4 cup boiled water and the 1/2 cup of Louisa's liqueur in a container. I use the same container as my wet ingredients to wash out any of the oil or buttermilk left. 

Scrape sides of the mixer and then slowly pour in the water/Louisa's with the mixer on low speed. Increase speed to medium for 20 seconds, and then increase to medium-high for 40 seconds to add some more air to the batter.

Use an ice cream scoop to portion the batter into 24 muffin tins.

Bake 14-18 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the inside cupcakes come out clean.

Frosting

8 oz. softened cream cheese (full fat version)

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

2 tsp pure vanilla bean paste

1/4 tsp salt

6 cups powdered sugar

1-1 1/2 cup toasted diced pecans

While the cupcakes are baking, put the diced pecans in a medium-sized skillet and toast over medium heat until slightly darkened and fragrant. Stir them often to avoid burning them.

Cream the butter and cream cheese in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment until smooth.

Add caramel topping and vanilla and whisk until combined and smooth.

Add powdered sugar and salt and whisk on medium speed until combined, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl. Once combined, turn the speed up to high and whisk for a minute or so until fluffy. Don't overmix or you could make the cream cheese runny. If you want to up the decadence of these cupcakes, core them out and add some of the frosting in the center before frosting the cupcakes.

Then, frost the cupcakes. You can go old school and use a knife, or use a disposable bag and a tip for a beautiful frosting mound that looks professional. Then dip the top of each cupcake lightly into the toasted pecans. The pecans, in addition to the wonderful flavor they impart, help to keep the cupcakes from being too sweet - I mean, caramel cream cheese frosting. Come on! Then enjoy and share these with those you love. They will be very grateful.

Caramel Cake

There are a few desserts that I just completely associate with the South. Chess pie, banana pudding, and caramel cake are a few of those desserts. Personally, I can live without banana pudding, although I have to make it for my mom and grandpa every now and then, but I can definitely get with the program for a slice of chess pie or caramel cake. Caramel cake is a truly decadent, rich, amazing dessert, and if you've never had a piece, then you definitely are missing out. Just be sure to take any diabetes medication before you bite into a slice, because it is so sweet and rich. This recipe I found on Pinterest for Southern Caramel Cake makes a moist, tender crumb cake and a beautifully whipped, smooth, crazy rich and sweet caramel frosting. You should make this cake for your next potluck... your friends, coworkers, family, or church will thank you.

For the Cake:

3 cups cake flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Caramel icing, recipes below
3/4 cup of finely chopped toasted pecans, or whole pecan halves, optional

For the Caramel Icing:

2 cups of granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 tablespoons of white corn syrup
1/2 cup of buttermilk
1/2 cup of vegetable shortening
1/2 cup of unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Have everything at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottoms of three 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Cut rounds of parchment paper to place into the bottoms of each pan and grease or flour the pan and paper, or spray with Baker's Joy; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

With a mixer, cream the butter first on medium speed, then add the sugar a little at a time, beating well for about 6 minutes total. 

Reduce the speed to low and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing each in before adding the next one. 

Start adding the flour and alternate adding in the flour and the milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. 

Add the vanilla and mix well.

Equally divide the batter among the three pans and level the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes back clean, shifting the pans around halfway through. Don't overcook it or it will be dry, so check at about 20 minutes. 

Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

For the icing, combine all ingredients except vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it reaches the desired caramel color. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Use a hand held mixer to beat it until it cools and becomes thick enough to spread. Spread thinly on each layer, on the top and along the sides. Sprinkle the nuts on top before icing sets, or decorate the top and sides with whole pecan halves.

Caramel Pie

Pure amazing decadence... that's what this pie is. This is a copycat of O'Charley's Caramel Pie. I found the recipe online about 15 years ago to make for my mother for her birthday. And the best part is that you only need to be patient and attentive to make this. No skills required. I mean literally none. This is the easiest, most decadent dessert you can ever make, just don't think you're going to do it quickly.

2 cans Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
1 graham cracker pie crust
Whipped cream, mini-chocolate chips, and pecan pieces for topping

Pay close attention, because this is the hardest part of this pie. Find a pot large enough to accommodate the cans of sweetened condensed milk. Cover with water. Bring to a boil.

Boil the cans for 3-4 hours turning frequently and ensuring that the water level stays above the cans. Turn off heat and place pot in the sink. Run cool water into the pot slowly displacing the boiling water until the water is cool. Let sit for an hour or so until cans are cool enough to handle. Open cans and fill in the graham cracker crust, smoothing the caramel.

Cover and chill the pie for several hours or it won't hold up well when cut. Top with whipped cream then sprinkle with the mini-chocolate chips and pecan pieces. Revel in the decadence and just don't think at all about how many calories are in it. I promise, this pie is worth every single calorie.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake

If you don't like caramel, rich decadent desserts, then this one isn't for you. I, however, like them very much, so when I saw the recipe while perusing Pinterest one day for Brown Sugar Pound Cake, I knew I had to give it a try. It is very, very good, but the caramel drizzle is so rich and thick that it is not for the faint of heart... or diabetics. Just be warned. lol This recipe is definitely worth a try. Lots of brown sugar, pecans, and toffee bits in this moist cake, but the shining star is definitely that caramel drizzle.

1-1/2 cups butter, softened
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
5 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
1 – 8 ounce bag of toffee bits
1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Set aside.

Beat the butter until creamy. Add sugars, beating until fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in thirds, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Beat until just combined. Stir in toffee bits and pecans.

Spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake until a wood pick inserted near the center of cake comes out clean, 75 to 85 minutes. Cover top of cake with foil to prevent excess browning if necessary. Let cake cool in pan for 30 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Caramel Drizzle

1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine condensed milk and brown sugar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly.

Reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla.

Make sure to drizzle the caramel while it's still hot. When cooled the caramel does somewhat harden.