Alas, I can see myself in this crowd.

I know you are thinking “Again with the caramel?”

Well, it would be completely unfair to keep this recipe from you for even another day.

Not the salted caramel thing going on here. Just plain old luscious (and deliriously easy to make) caramel. No chemistry involved. No timing the amber color stage. All that is required is working quickly to spoon the caramel over the cupcakes before it sets.

The cupcakes are a doctored up mix. So light, yet rich in flavor. You would never know that they were not made from scratch.

Caramel Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 package (18.25 oz) plain yellow cake mix
3 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Quick Caramel Icing (Recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with paper liners and set the pans aside.

2. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes longer, scraping down the side of the bowl again if needed.

3. Spoon 1/4 cup of cupcake batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full.

4. Place the pans in the oven and bake the cupcakes until they are golden and the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes.

5. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cupcake cups, lift the cupcakes up from the bottom of the pans using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the pans carefully with your fingertips. Place the cupcakes on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes longer before frosting with the caramel icing.

Quick Caramel Icing

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place the butter and brown sugars in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the milk, stir, and let the mixture return to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat.

3. Add about 1 1/4 cups of the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla. Whisk until the frosting is smooth.

4. Add additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, but not so much so that it thickens and hardens.

5. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of frosting on top of each cupcake and spread it out with a short metal spatula or spoon.

Note: Keep the cupcakes in an airtight container to store, otherwise the caramel might get cloudy. Still delicious, but not as pretty.

Recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns by Anne Byrn

I’m in the mood for some beautiful music today. I never have to look further than Ajimal for that order.

And here is a brand new track ‘I’ve Known Your Heart’, that was recorded live for Blank Sessions a couple of weeks ago.

Beautiful, right?

Check out Ajimal on his Website. You can buy the music on Bandcamp.

Cheers!