Favorite Foods Friday

Last week we had some friends over for dinner and when you have friends over for dinner, everyone knows that you need dessert. So I decided to make cupcakes. The recipe is from Taste of Home and is really good, but I will confess that I did not make the cupcake from scratch...I used a box. But the icing...the icing makes this cupcake; delicious caramel flavor. We are all big fans, well except for Micah, but he doesn't count in the dessert arena because he doesn't like cake, or brownies, or ice cream. He really likes the idea of dessert, but he only ever takes one bite. We really aren't sure where he came from ;)

Texas Chocolate Cupcakes - recipe from Taste of Home
 

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup baking cocoa

1 cup water

1 cup canola oil

1/2 cup butter, cubed

2 eggs

1/3 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Caramel Icing

1/2 cup butter, cubed

1/4 cup milk

2 to 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients and mix well. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin).

Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For icing, in a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. Remove from the heat; transfer to a small bowl. Cool to room temperature. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Makes 2 dozen cupcakes.