Birthday Baking Part 2: Cracker Jack Cupcakes

Part two of the delicious birthday cupcakes is up!

Again, recipe is courtesy of The Brunette Baker.

Start with the base:

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

(or no-nut butter if you're like me)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin tin with muffin cups.
• In a bowl, cream together 2 cups packed brown sugar, ½ cup butter, and 1 cup peanut butter/no nut butter. Add in 3 eggs, one at a time, and 2 tsp vanilla. 
• In a separate bowl mix together 2½ cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt. Mix into the peanut butter mix, alternating with 1¼ cups buttermilk.
• Fill liners 2/3 full and bake for 14-18 minutes then allow to cool.  

Then pull out the salted caramel you made before and whip up some salted caramel icing

(it's maybe the best icing I've ever made):

Salted Caramel Icing

• Cream together ½ cup butter (softened), 4 cup icing sugar, and 1 cup salted caramel. If your frosting isn't the right consistency (mine wasn't) then add cream or milk 1 tsp at a time until the desired consistency is reached.  

Put it all together by topping your cupcakes with caramel corn and peanuts (I don't think I have to mention that I skipped the peanuts) and then drizzling with salted caramel. 

These cupcakes are so tasty and very decadent so you probably won't want to eat more than one. 

But if you do, go for a second without any hesitation!