Caramel Apple Cupcakes #2

Ingredients

  • 1 box white cake mix
  • 1 bottle Jones Green Apple soda (12 oz)
  • 2 apple water flavor enhancers (I used Hawaiian Punch brand’s Green Berry Rush, $1 at Walmart)
  • Green food dye, to color cupcakes (if desired)
  • Caramel Frosting (recipe and ingredients follow)
  • Caramel apple suckers

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin pans with 24 paper liners. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat together cake mix and soda–NOTHING else :) until blended, about 2 minutes. Stir in flavoring packets until combined. Add green dye, if desired, to make a nice green shade. Evenly portion into muffin pans and bake about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Caramel Frosting

2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup caramel syrup (like the coffee flavored syrup, not the sundae stuff)
About 5 cups powdered sugar
Brown food coloring

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together butter and caramel syrup until blended and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until frosting is a soft but spreadable consistency. Add food coloring until you’ve reached a desired shade of brown.
2. Frost cupcakes with caramel icing and stick each frosted cake with an unwrapped caramel apple sucker. With the suckers inside, these are best served immediately.