Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

By oldbklady

Ingredients

• Ingredients for cupcake:
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• Ingredients for frosting:
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter + 1 T. butter
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation

Step 1

Cupcake Directions:
•Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
•Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
•In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Set aside.
•Using a stand mixer and paddle attachment, mix together brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs on medium speed. You could also use a hand mixer for this.
•Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix on low speed until combined.
•Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake regular size cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes and mini cupcakes for 14 to 16 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool about 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting Directions:
•In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.
•Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
•Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color. Watch it closely. Don't let it burn or turn too brown.
•Remove from heat and carefully add in cream and vanilla (it bubbles up quickly, so don't be surprised) and whisk it until very smooth. Pour 1/2 the mixture in a heat-proof bowl and allow it to cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes. With the other half of the caramel still in the saucepan, add 1 T. butter and whisk in and let cool. The caramel with the butter will be used as a topping on top of the frosted cupcake.
•Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment (you can probably use a hand mixer too, just mix it longer), beat butter until light and fluffy.
•Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.
•Add the caramel that you allowed to cool in a bowl (the one without the butter). Beat on medium high speed until light and airy and completely mixed, about 2-3 minutes.
•Frost cupcakes with the buttercream. You can spread it on with a butter knife or offset spatula, or pipe it on.
•With the reserved caramel sauce, drizzle on top of each cupcake and then sprinkle each cupcake with a very small amount of sea salt. If the reserved caramel sauce has thickened too much so that it is unpourable, microwave it in a microwave-safe bowl for 5 seconds or so to loosen it up.