Caramel Frappuccino Cupcakes

Caramel Frappuccino cupcakes...doesn't that sound divine? At least it did to me when I stumbled upon this recipe. It quickly became one of those things that I had to make immediately!

Overall, these tasted pretty close to the real deal. This cake is very light and chocolaty. I would have liked a bit more of a coffee flavor though. Maybe the addition of a little espresso powder might have done the trick. I used this marshmallow meringue frosting because I was a bit skeptical about a cream cheese/whipping cream hybrid frosting used in the original recipe. I'm glad I did because this frosting was perfect for these cupcakes. The caramel sauce on top really makes these taste like the Starbucks' treat. However, to save yourself some time and dirty dishes, a ready made caramel sauce would work just as well.


My daughter loves cupcakes...or "k-cups" as she calls them :)

She was very appropriately wearing her cupcake shirt this day. A gift from my good friend. It's so cute and so very her:)


Ingredients:

Chocolate Butter Cupcakes
(Makes about 18 regular cupcakes)

1/2 cup of hot coffee
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
1/2 cup of cold water
1 1/2 cups of cake flour
1 teaspoons of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup of sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F and have all ingredients at room temperature. Have your cupcake liners and pans ready. In a bowl, mix the hot coffee and cocoa powder together – no lumps! Whisk in the cold water. In another bowl, sift the cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Using your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add in the eggs and the pure vanilla extract. Alternate the two bowls (coffee mixture and flour mixture) into the batter. Mix until smooth. Then using an ice cream scoop, scoop the batter into your cupcake liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Marshmallow Frosting

4 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 cups sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

To make the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 155° F with an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form. Mix in the vanilla until combined.

Easy Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons lightly corn syrup
1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and boil briskly 3 minutes, stirring. Cool
When cupcakes and caramel sauce are cool, place a dollop of whipped cream on each cupcake and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Source: Adapted from Grin and Bake It