Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

• 1 box Spice Cake mix (18.25 oz.)
• 3 large eggs,
• 1⅓ cups apple cider
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil

Buttercream:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup caramel topping, plus more for drizzling
• 3¾ cups confectioners sugar

Instructions:

Cupcakes:

1. For the cupcakes, preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
    
2. Blend cake mix, eggs, cider, and oil in a large bowl at low speed until moistened. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add batter to cupcake pans.
    
3. Bake 18-21 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes and cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Buttercream:

1. Cream the butter in the bowl of an electric or stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon salt, and caramel syrup and combine well. Begin adding in the sugar and mixing thoroughly after each addition.
    
2. After all of the sugar has been added and mixed thoroughly, give it a taste and decide if you want to add in more salt. 1 teaspoon of salt will give it a slight background taste of salt. Increasing to 1¼ teaspoon of salt if preferred this will add a more distinct (but not salty) taste.
   
   
3. Frost the cooled cupcakes and drizzle with additional caramel topping.

Photo Credit: sohowsittaste.com