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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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August 30, 2010

Heaven in a cupcake!

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Chocolate. Caramel. Sea Salt. Heath Bar….nuff said.  I mean really it’s hard to top that combination.  If you love a good chocolate nutty candy bar then you will ADORE these cupcakes. They are so delicious and actually quite easy to make.
I stumbled upon this recipe on a great blog  

Me and My Pink Mixer . I would think she was pretty awesome for the cupcake recipe alone; but the fact that she seems as in love with her pink mixer as I am with my flamin’ hot red one makes her truly a kindred spirit!I mean I truly ♥ my Kitchen Aid Mixer!

She found the recipe on , Joy’s Hope, another great blog.  That’s what I love about blogging, all the great ideas, recipes, and information that can be shared.  It makes the great big wide web seem less like a giant global enterprise and more like a small community.
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As soon as I saw these cupcakes I knew I HAD to make them.They were calling to me…I could just imagine how great the combination of salt and caramel would be oozing out of the center of the cupcake and drizzled over the homemade buttercream frosting.  They completely lived up to thecupcake fantasy I had created in my mind expectation I had.  And I am pretty sure every guinea pigfamily member, neighbor and friend who had a cupcake shoved in their hand and taste tested them for me would agree.  At least I’m assuming that’s what all the “mmm…yum….so good….mmm’s”translated to.

Hope you’ll give them a try!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes–Joy’s Hope
Makes 24 cupcakes
Instructions:
Cupcakes

One Box German Chocolate Cake Mix and ingredients to make it
Sea Salt
Heath Bar Toffee Bits or 4-5 Skor Bars, crushed
Hershey’s or Smuckers Caramel Ice Cream Topping (I used smuckers)
 Squeeze Bottle
Bake cupcakes according to cake mix directions.  Allow to cool
Buttercream Frosting-Me and My Pink Mixer

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
6 – 8 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 – 3 T milk or whipping cream

Frosting Directions:

With an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes on medium speed. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition, until the frosting is a good spreading consistency.  Frosting can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Assembling Cupcakes:
When cupcakes are approximately 4-5 minutes from being done, pour caramel into a measuring cup or bowl.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt per 8 oz. of caramel. Warm in the microwave for one minute.  Stir.  Pour the warm salted caramel in to a squeeze bottle.

As soon as the cupcakes come out of the oven move them to a cooling rack and inject caramel into each one, reserving some of the caramel to top cupcakes.  

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After the cupcakes have cooled, frost them with buttercream frosting using a frosting bag and decorator tip or frost with knife.
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Drizzle remaining salted caramel over each cupcake and top with Heath Bar bits or crushed Skor bars. 

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Total: approx. $6.50 for 24 cupcakes!  Try to buy gourmet cupcakes for that price, betcha can’t do it! 

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Enjoy! 

And I leave you with one more view of these delicious cupcakes to tempt you to make them yourself!  C’mon you know you want one….

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