SLC First Year Anniversary

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I am super excited and honoured to be asked by my University to provide them with tasty treats for the SLC’s first year anniversary party (and for all you school friends, it’s today from 1pm-5pm!)

I made two large 12″ four layered chocolate and vanilla cakes. One was covered in vanilla white fondant, decorated with the SLC logo on top, along with the text “SLC First Year Anniversary” and “#RSLC”. Around the outside of the cake, I included the SLC frit pattern to resemble the actual building on campus. More pictures are down below! 😀

On the second cake, I decorated it with roses in the University colours. Alongside the two cakes, I baked 84 red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting (in the colours of the University, to match the rose cake). Five of those cupcakes are decorated with the SLC’s stakeholders logos: SLC, RULA, Launch Zone, DME and Student Learning Support.

I had a long day of baking yesterday to prepare for today’s event, but I had a very fun time doing this. I am honoured to be apart of this event, and super excited they were willing to support my business. Thank you SLC! Enjoy your party!

If you would like to see all the recipes I used for my cakes, cupcakes and buttercreams – they are all listed down below.

 

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare two 9-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray or buttering and lightly flouring.
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and espresso powder to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine or, using your paddle attachment, stir through flour mixture until combined well.
3. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together on medium speed until well combined. Reduce speed and carefully add boiling water to the cake batter. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute to add air to the batter.
4. Distribute cake batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and cool completely.

Vanilla Cake

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/4 cup milk

Directions:

1. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Butter two 20-cm (8-inch) springform pans and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer for about 10 minutes or until thick, pale and triple in volume. Drizzle in the oil while beating.
4. At low speed, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk until the batter is smooth. Divide the batter into the pans and bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes. Remove from the pans and let completely cool on a wire rack.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk*

Directions:

1. In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
2. Gradually add icing sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
3. Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

(makes about 28 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

• 2 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 teaspoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs, room temperature and separated
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• liquid or gel red food colouring
• 1 cup (120ml) buttermilk, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. Sift the flour and cornstarch together to make sure it is evenly combined. Whisk this, along with baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together fairly well. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the oil and beat on high for 2 minutes. The butter may look “piece-y” and not completely combine with the oil. This is normal and ok.
4. Add two egg yolks and the vanilla. (Set the egg whites aside.) Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the vinegar and the food colouring– until you reach your desired colour. I use 2 Tablespoons. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not over mix. Whisk or beat the 2 egg whites until thick and foamy, about 3 minutes. Fold into cupcake batter with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The batter will be silky and slightly thick.
5. Spoon batter into cupcake liners filling 1/2 – 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-21 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes spring back when gently touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don’t over bake; your cupcakes will dry out. Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Cream Cheese Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 2 packages of cream cheese, softened (8oz each)
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk (if desired)

Directions:

1. In bowl, beat cream cheese with butter. Beat in sugar in 2 additions until smooth. Add milk if icing is too thick.

The “Blues” Cupcakes

 

Cupcakes, cupcakes and more cupcakes!

I had an order last week of 60 chocolate cupcakes with blue buttercream for a 50th birthday. These were so easy to make, yet super fun! You gotta love a simple, delicious cupcake.

There are some exciting posts coming up. I have two Valentine’s Day orders this weekend… one being cookies, and the other being cupcakes. I also have a Valentine’s Day themed cake which I am super thrilled to make, so look forward to that!

Next week, I’ve got a two-tiered ombre rose cake, and the week after I’ve got a fondant cake order along with 75 buttercream themed cupcakes. Whew!

Like Crumbs and Tea on Facebook, and follow on Instagram!

Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners – this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
2. Whisk the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk – about 5 stirs. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until just combined; do not overmix.
4. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners – fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake in batches for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk

Directions:

1. In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
2. Gradually add icing sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
3. Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

 

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Vanilla and Chocolate Cupcakes

First off – Happy New Year!!! A little late in the game, but better late than never! I hope everyone had a wonderful new years, filled with delicious food, drinks and many laughs.

Many people have asked me, “What’s your new years resolution?” and honestly I hadn’t really thought about it. I’m not one who loves making resolutions for the new year, let alone being successful at keeping them.

When I really thought about the top three things I want to make happen in the new year, they would be:

1. Be more experimental with baking. Finally cross all the things off my baking bucket list, that I created three years ago and still haven’t completed half.
2. Play more board games. Because why the heck not.
3. Stop being such a horrific procrastinator and a lazy human being.

What are your resolutions? I’d love to know in the comments below! Maybe they will even inspire me…

 

Now on to the post – I definitely know I’ve made vanilla and chocolate cupcakes more than anything on else you see here on my blog.

Whether I’ve made them for birthdays… commencements… anniversaries… I have for sure made my fair share of vanilla and chocolate cupcakes. I recently made these cupcakes for a birthday. They are your simple vanilla with vanilla buttercream and chocolate with chocolate buttercream.

I added these cute gold edible pearls and white edible pearls on top, for a little glam and sparkle!

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners – this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
2. Whisk the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until completely smooth. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk – about 5 stirs. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until just combined; do not overmix.
4. Pour/spoon the batter into the liners – fill only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides. Bake in batches for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 3-4 tablespoons of milk*

Directions:

1. In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
2. Gradually add cocoa powder, beating well on medium speed. Slowly add the icing sugar, one cup at a time. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When both ingredients have been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
3. Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.
5. For pure white icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Colour butter flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

VANILLA CUPCAKES

(makes about 30)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup canola oil (or vegetable or extra light olive oil)
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
   In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
3. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed.
4. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed.
5. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mix and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin.
6. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 12 -14 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of milk*

Directions:

1. In large bowl, beat shortening and butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla.
2. Gradually add icing sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry.
3. Gradually add milk; beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
4. For thin (spreading) consistency icing, add 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk.
5. For pure white icing (stiff consistency), omit butter; substitute an additional 1/2 cup shortening for butter and add 1/2 teaspoon No-Colour butter flavor. Add up to 4 tablespoons light corn syrup, water or milk to thin for icing cakes.

25th Anniversary Pink Ombre Cupcakes

For a 25th anniversary I was asked to make 40 cupcakes that were the colours of my pink ombre rose cake. 28 of them were to be used to make the number ’25’ but in a pink ombre form (light pink to dark pink. Image is down below!)

I thought that was very clever, and I’ve never done anything like that before! Very cool.

These cupcakes were just vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting (spilt up into 3 bowls for the 3 different shades of pink).

Hope you guys enjoy!

 

Fox Cupcakes

I made these adorable little fox cupcakes for a baby shower. I made 40 of these chocolate cupcakes, and made buttercream to decorate each one. I separated the buttercream into 3 bowls: one white, one copper coloured (I used Wilton’s Copper Food Colouring) and one black coloured.

I first piped on the copper icing for the base of the fox face. I used tip 5, to pipe white area around the face, and then used a spatula to smooth out the buttercream. I also used tip 5 to pipe the black icing for the nose and eyes. I then used tip 352 to pipe the copper icing for the pull-out leaf ears.

I also made a cake to match with these cupcakes, but I will post that tomorrow. Hope you guys enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes (x2!)

 

I made these amazing chocolate chip cookie dough cupcakes a while back (for myself just to eat LOL), and recently one of my friends from long ago asked if I could make her some cupcakes for her boyfriend’s birthday.

These cupcakes are seriously so delicious (if you love chocolate chip cookie dough of course… I mean who doesn’t?!)

No but seriously, they’re amazing because you have the moist chocolate cupcake, with a ball of chocolate chip cookie dough in the middle and vanilla buttercream on top with a tiny chocolate chip cookie to garnish. C’mon you can’t go wrong!

For the Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
2. In large bowl combine all dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.  Whisk until well combined.
3. Add oil and sour cream and mix together with whisk.
4. Gradually add water and continue to whisk.
5. Add vanilla and eggs and whisk until combined.
6. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter.
7. Bake for 16 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
8. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
9. Once cupcakes are completely cool, hollow out the center of your cupcakes using a Cupcake Corer or Apple Corer.
10. Fill centers will Cookie Dough and frost with Cookie Dough Icing.  Garnish with chocolate chips and a mini Cookie Dough cookie.

For the Cookie Dough filling:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. In bowl of stand mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy.
2. Gradually add in flour and sweetened condensed milk and mix until well combined.
3. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. If dough seems too sticky, put in refrigerator to set up for about 30 minutes before filling cupcakes.
5. Fill center of cupcakes with Cookie Dough.  I used a melon baller to get a consistent size ball for each cupcake.
6. Roll out the left over cookie dough using a rolling pin and cut out mini cookies using a small circle cutter.  Chill the dough cookies until they are firm and then use to decorate the tops of the cupcakes.

For the Icing:

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup milk

1. In bowl of stand mixer cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar together for 1-2 minutes until creamy.
2. Gradually add in flour and confectioner’s sugar mixing well and scraping down sides of bowl.
3. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
4. Mix in vanilla.
5. Continue to mix icing for 3-4 minutes.
6. Place icing in piping bag fitted with large round tip and swirl on top of cupcakes.
7. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips on top if desired.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes

I had a cupcake order for a Canada’s Day BBQ, and what better way to celebrate than by eating vanilla cupcakes, covered in vanilla buttercream and garnished with a chocolate covered strawberry!?

There’s nothing better!

VANILLA CUPCAKES

(makes about 20)

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup canola oil (or vegetable or extra light olive oil)
• 1 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners.
   In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Set flour mix aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat 2 eggs with the whisk attachment on medium speed (15-20 seconds).
3. Add 3/4 cup sugar and continue to beat on medium speed.
4. Add vanilla and oil and beat on medium speed.
5. Reduce mixer speed to medium/low and slowly add about half of the flour mixture. Add half of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour mix and the rest of the milk. Beat until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl. The batter should be thin.
6. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Fill to about 1/2 full.
7. Bake for 12 -14 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove.

Then I made a batch of my buttercream, and decorated away!

 

Mexican Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes

One of my friends asked me to make her a tasty treat for a Mexican themed BBQ, and I knew I had to make these Mexican Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes.

These are so tasty. There is a hint of spice in the buttercream… and when you bite into the cupcake there is a dollop of dulce de leche that just comes oozing out into your mouth, which tastes DELICIOUS. And on TOP of that, the chocolate cupcake batter is so moist, so scrumptious, and just SO GOOD.

Ingredients:

Dark Chocolate Cupcake

• 2 cups sugar
• 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 6 pieces
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces dulce de leche, jarred

Spicy Cinnamon Frosting

• 2 1/2 sticks (10 oz. total)  unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

For the Cupcakes::

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees . In a pan, whisk 2 cups water and the sugar over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and butter and let stand 10 minutes; whisk until smooth.
2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture; whisk until smooth. Transfer to prepared cupcake pans and bake for 17 minutes to make 2 dozen cupcakes. Remove from pan and let cool on a rack.
3. Using a melon baller, scoop a 1-inch hole from the top of each cupcake; fill with 2 tsp. jarred dulce de leche.
4. Top with Spicy Cinnamon Frosting, then garnish with chocolate sprinkles.

For the Frosting:

1. Sift in the confectioners’ sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing at low speed to incorporate (the mixture will be crumbly). Beat at medium speed for 1 minute, then increase to high speed and beat until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Gradually add the cream then beat until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat vanilla, cinnamon and cayenne into finished frosting, 1 to 2 minutes.

Minecraft Cupcakes

My boss at work asked me to make her son Minecraft cupcakes for his 8th birthday. So of course I said yes! I already made a Minecraft cake, so I felt pretty confident in making cupcakes as well. (If you don’t know, I am pretty unknowledgeable when it comes to video games… so I had to rely on google images of Minecraft when making these little characters, haha!).

The little boy wanted white cupcakes (which are essentially french vanilla cupcakes) with buttercream icing – so that’s what I made! I also dyed the icing a light green, to resemble the grass in Minecraft.

For decorations, I made 3 copies of the pig, 3  copies of the red TNT block and 3 copies of the green guy with the black face (as you can clearly see again…. I have no idea what the names are of these characters, LOL!) out of fondant.

For the other 15 cupcakes, I printed out images of a couple other characters from the game and stuck them to a toothpick and inserted them on top of the remaining cupcakes.

I hope you enjoy these cupcakes!

Kit-Kat Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

One of my good friends turned 19 the other day, so to celebrate I made KIT-KAT CUPCAKES!!! (I’m writing in caps to express my feelings for these cupcakes… they were really good, OK??!!?)

In all seriousness though, these babies were heaven in my mouth: chocolate cupcake with broken up Kit-Kats in the middle, topped with caramel buttercream and a broken piece of a Kit-Kat for a garnish.

Seriously though, these cupcakes are probably top 5 one of my favourite cupcakes I’ve ever made. You don’t even have to be a big fan of Kit-Kats to love these cupcakes.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extrat
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 6 fun-sized Kit Kat bars, broken into single wafers (12 wafers total)

Caramel Buttercream Frosting

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)

6 fun-sized Kit Kat bars, broken into single wafers (12 wafers total for garnish)

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and oil until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Alternating between the flour and buttermilk, gradually add the flour in 3 parts and the buttermilk in 2 parts.
4. In one liner, scoop enough batter to cover the bottom. Cut one Kit Kat wafer in half then place both halves on top of the batter. Scoop enough batter on top to cover. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Bake 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out almost clean. Cool completely.

Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and salt until smooth. Add the caramel sauce then beat until light and fluffy. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
2. With the remaining Kit Kat wafers, cut each in half then stick the cut side into the frosting for garnish.