Mini Cupcakes...

Last week was "girls night in" again (we try to get together once a month) and as usual I brought dessert. I wanted to make mini cupcakes because I had purchased a mini cupcake pan and, I have found, they are easier to eat...say you just want a bite of a cupcake but feel obligated to eat a whole one.  With a mini cupcake you can eat just one or if you really like 'em eat a dozen and not feel guilty at all...I mean they are SO small how bad could they be??? ANYway...I really like filled cupcakes...I guess because it adds an element of surprise. Like you are expecting just a plain chocolate cupcake when you bite into one but BANG! SURPRISE! you get a caramel in the middle or a melted chocolate piece...love it!  I really like chocolate and caramel and LOVE Rolo's so I thought why not add it to the middle???  I went online as I am sure others have felt the need as well and I found several blogs.  One in particular I liked because it involved using a cake mix. Since I had devils food cake mix left over from my cake pops I thought it was perfect! I added the Rolos in the end as didn't have the time needed to freeze them and also I didn't want to risk them sinking to the bottom (with my luck they would).  I went on my quest to find mini Rolos...I know they exist but after two stores I couldn't find them...yeah, I could have kept looking but figured I would just cut the big Rolo into smaller pieces.  I'm a genius I tell ya!  ANYway...the cake came out so light and moist....and the frosting....forget about it!  My mom is not a frosting person (I know, weird huh) but loved the Salted Carmel Buttercream.  My girlfriends also enjoyed them, so not bad for my first mini cupcakes (definitely will not be the last...I see many mini cupcakes in my future).

So cute!

Chocolate Cupcakes w/Rolo Centers
Adapted from My Baking Addiction (love this blog!)

Ingredients for Cupcakes:
1 Devils Food Cake Mix
4 eggs -- lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (4.8 oz) package instance chocolate pudding
1/2 cup warm water
2 packages of Rolos -- cut each Rolo in half

Ingredients for the Frosting:
1/2 cup caramel syrup (or to taste)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt (I added 1/2)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar

For Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  I didn't use paper liners preferring to spray the muffin tin with Pam.  Worked perfectly!

Using stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat all cupcakes ingredients together minus the Rolos.  Mix until well combined and smooth.

Add batter to the prepared mini muffin pan (I used a teaspoon measuring cup).  Bake in oven for approximately 10-12 minutes (mine were done in 11 minutes).  Insert toothpick -- if comes out clean they are done.  Take out of oven onto a wire rack.  Immediately start inserting the Rolos to each cupcake.

Not very attractive, but that's OK the frosting will cover the whole in the center!

Now for the Frosting:
To the stand mixer add the butter and cream until pale yellow and smooth looking.  To that add the vanilla, carmel syrup, and salt and mix until combined.  Add the sugar a half cup at a time and mix throughly (I sifted the sugar before as mine was a bit clumpy).  Keep adding until you get the consistency and flavor you want.  You may want to add additional syrup if want a sweeter taste.  If add more syrup you may need to add more sugar to make the frosting thicker.

The end.

Until next time!

Luna looking sweeter than the cupcakes!