Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour,cup Cocoa Powder, unsweetened,3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda,1/4 teaspoon Salt,1/2 cup Butter, unsalted, at room temperature,cups Sugar,1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract,2 Eggs,3 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted and cooled,1 cup Milk, at room temperature,1/2 cup Butter,1 cup Packed Brown Suger,3/4 cup Milk, divided,3 cups Powdered Confectioners’ Sugar, plus a little extra if needed
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the cupcake pans by greasing or placing paper liners in them.
- Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on medium beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl occasionally. Beat in Vanilla Extract. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in cooled chocolate.
- Beat in the flour mixture in 4 additions alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the flour mixture and beat briefly until smooth on low-medium.
- Fill cupcake wells 3/4 of the way.
- Bake about 22 minutes or until a toothpick in middle shows a few moist crumbs.
- Cool on wire racks ten minutes. Then remove cupcakes to racks to cool completely.
- To make frosting: in a 2-quart saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar.
- Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, reduce heat to low.
- Boil and stir 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup Milk.
- Heat to boiling, remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm, about 30 minutes.
- Pour the caramel into a large mixing bowl gradually stir in powdered sugar and milk. Beat with an electric hand mixer on low about 6 minutes until light and fluffy. If too stiff add milk a teaspoon at a time to get the right consistency. If too watery add additional powdered sugar beating on low until it reaches the right consistency.
- Store in refrigerator for 15 minutes before frosting to help it firm up.
- For salted caramel sprinkle sea salt on top or mix a 1/2 teaspoon right into the frosting towards the end.
