Snickers cupcakes

Oven temp = 350

Dark chocolate cupcakes:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until everything is well combined. Fill 24 cupcake cups 1/3 full, place a nougat square in each, and fill to 2/3 full with remaining batter. Bake at 350 deg for about 25 minutes.

Marshmallow frosting:
(also in this post)
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup water
2 Tbs light corn syrup
6 large egg whites, room temperature

Combine 1 1/2 cups sugar, water and corn syrup in a small pot and boil until the mixture reaches 230 deg. At the same time, beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. After the sugar mixture reaches 230 deg slowly pour it into the egg whites, while mixing. Whisk the mixture until it is cool and stiff peaks have formed. This should be about 7 minutes.

Caramel drizzle:
(also in this post)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbs heavy cream

In a small saucepan, heat sugar without stirring until it melts and begins to brown. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir to combine butter, then return to the heat and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat once more to add the heavy cream, and stir until smooth. With each addition of butter or cream, the sugar will bubble violently -- be careful! Drizzle warm caramel over iced cupcakes.

Vanilla almond cupcakes with caramel frosting

Recipe inspired by gimme some oven!
Oven temp = 350

Vanilla almond cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/3 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp almond extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the water, oil, vinegar, vanilla bean paste, and almond extract until everything is combined. Pour batter into 22-24 cupcakes and bake at 350 deg for about 25 minutes.

Caramel frosting:
1/4 cup sugar*
2 Tbs water*
1/4 cup heavy cream*
1 tsp vanilla*
1/2 cup butter, salted
3 cups powdered sugar
2-3 Tbs chocolate caramel liquor

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat until the sugar turns amber in color, but be careful not to burn the sugar. Very slowly add the heavy cream and vanilla -- be careful as the caramel will splatter when the cream is added. Let the mixture cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, and caramel. Slowly add in the caramel liquor and beat until the desired consistency is reached.

*Next time I make this frosting, I will double the amount of caramel and omit the liquor to have a stronger caramel flavor.

Caramel macchiato cupcakes

Original recipe from Food Mayhem
Oven temp = 350

Espresso cupcakes:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup coffee, cooled
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbs Tia Maria (or Kaluha)
1 Tbs Godiva caramel chocolate liquor
12 tsp butter
1 1/3 cups sugar
6 egg yolks
1 tsp instant espresso powder

Cream butter and sugar, and add egg yolks one at a time. Alternate between adding dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, and salt) and wet ingredients (coffee, milk, and liquors) in three additions. Mix until well combined. Leave one half of the batter as is, and add the espresso powder to the second half of the batter. Layer the espresso batter on the bottom of the cupcake cups, then layer the non-espresso batter on top. Bake at 350 deg for 25 minutes.

Meringue icing:
2 egg whites
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbs light corn syrup

Beat together egg whites, sugar, and corn syrup over a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and beat until cooled, about 5 minutes. Spread over the cooled cupcakes. This icing will be very thick and difficult to spread!

Caramel drizzle:
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 Tbs butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbs heavy cream

In a small saucepan, heat sugar without stirring until it melts and begins to brown. Remove from heat and add butter. Stir to combine butter, then return to the heat and continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat once more to add the heavy cream, and stir until smooth. With each addition of butter or cream, the sugar will bubble violently -- be careful! Drizzle warm caramel over iced cupcakes.