Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Salted Caramel Pecan Spice

It's fall y'all! I know I did a lot of complaining about attack of the pumpkins a couple months back, but I actually adore fall. The weather is so very awesomely awesome. I love the excuse to eat soup every day, enjoy a mug of creamed tea in the middle of the afternoon, and live in my favorite sweater. Ahhhhhh, fall.

Enter in, my Easy Gourmet Salted Caramel Pecan Spice Cupcakes. You'll fall in love with fall baking with this easy cupcake recipe.

These Salted Caramel Pecan Spice Cupcakes have fall baking written all over them.

This delectable cupcake has all the best things about fall going on in it - warm autumn spice, toasted pecans, salted caramel. Although, salted caramel is a year round kinda flavor. Don't ya think?




A box of spice cake mix, a couple of cups of pecans, and a can of dulce de leche are the star ingredients in this easy fall recipe.

Doctor the cake mix by adding an extra egg, subbing whole milk for the water, subbing melted butter for the oil, and then doubling the amount of butter. Scoop about 1/4 cup into each muffin cup and gently press in some pecans.

Toasted pecans adorn the tops of fluffy spice cake in my Easy Gourmet Salted Caramel Pecan Spice Cupcakes.

The nuts get toasted to perfection while the cupcakes bake.




To make the salted caramel buttercream, beat 3 sticks of butter, 1 cup of dulce de leche, a teaspoon and a half of vanilla, and a teaspoon and a half of salt.




Then, beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.




Scrape down the bowl and beat in another 3 cups of powdered sugar.




Scrape down the bowl again and beat the buttercream for 3 minutes.



This salted caramel buttercream is softer than most of the frostings and buttercreams I usually work with. But it's oh so creamy and fluffy. Think marshmallow cream - but with all the flavor of perfectly sweet and perfectly salty salted caramel.

Btw, any leftover buttercream can serve as a fabulous dip for sliced apples.

The spice cake is so tender and packed with warm autumn flavors. The pecans are nutty and crunchy with just a hint of sweetness. The buttercream is fluffy beyond belief and exactly the flavor you imagine when you think "salted caramel." We've got ourselves a real fall goodie with this cupcake, folks.

Happy fall baking!

Easy Gourmet Salted Caramel Pecan Spice Cupcakes
(Makes 24 cupcakes)

INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
15.25 oz box spice cake mix
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.

2 or 3 cups of pecan halves to press into the cupcake batter before baking

For the buttercream:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup dulce de leche
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp salt
6 cups powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Gently press 4 to 6 pecan halves onto the top of each cupcake.
5. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
6. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then remove them to cool completely.
7. For the salted caramel buttercream, beat the butter, dulce de leche, salt, and vanilla until creamy and well combined.
8. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
9. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.
10. Scrape down the bowl and beat buttercream for 3 minutes.
11. Snip off one corner of a Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall cup to easily fill with buttercream.
12. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.

Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes

Welcome back to easy cupcake baking with the Loverbees. You're gonna love this one. This is my favorite chocolate cupcake y'all.

Make someone's day with these Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes!

These Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes are visions of chocolate deliciousness. Just picture it - chocolate cake filled with chocolate hazelnut spread, frosted with rich and creamy chocolate hazelnut buttercream, and sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts. It's gonna be hard to eat just one or two of these babies.




This week's cast of characters: a box of chocolate cake mix, jarred chocolate hazelnut spread, and a little bag of chopped hazelnuts. Let's bake!

First, bake up a batch of chocolate cupcakes using your favorite chocolate cake mix.

While your oven's on, go ahead and toast your hazelnuts. I highly recommend toasting them. Not only does it greatly enhance the hazelnut flavor, but these little packets of chopped nuts are not always the freshest. Toasting them helps tremendously with that.




Once your cupcakes have completely cooled, use the back end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cake.

Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with a 7 oz jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, twist the top closed, snip off 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze the filling into the center of each cupcake until you see it coming out of the top.




Now, whip up your buttercream. Cream two sticks of softened butter with 14 ounces of chocolate hazelnut spread for 30 seconds.




Beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.




Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of salt.




Beat in 2 more cups powdered sugar.




Beat in some milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is the right consistency for piping - not too soft, not too stiff. Then, scrape down the bowl and beat on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.




Frost your cupcakes and immediately sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts.

Win Employee of the Month by giving your boss a batch of these Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes.

You may find it hard to stop eating these. Not speak'n from experience or anything. 😉

Gorgeous and delicious Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes.

Easy Gourmet Chocolate Hazelnut Cupcakes
Makes about 27 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the chocolate cupcakes:
1 15.25 oz box chocolate cake mix
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 1/4 cup whole milk
4 large eggs
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 1/4 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.

For the chocolate hazelnut buttercream:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 7 oz jars chocolate hazelnut spread
5 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
1 to 5 Tbsp milk

1 7 oz jar chocolate hazelnut spread for filling
2.25 oz bag chopped hazelnuts (1/2 cup) for topping

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (My batter actually made 27 cupcakes).
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. Toast your hazelnuts while your oven is still on. Pour them onto a baking sheet and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes. Then, cool completely.
7. When your cupcakes are cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
8. Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with one 7 oz jar of chocolate hazelnut spread, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie, if you like), snip off a 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze filling into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
9. For the chocolate hazelnut buttercream, beat the butter and two 7 oz jars of chocolate hazelnut spread for 30 seconds.
10. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
11. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in 2 tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
12. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 2 more cups powdered sugar.
13. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.
14. Scrape down the bowl again and beat on high for 3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
15. Snip off one corner of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall cup to easily fill with frosting.
16. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
17. Immediately sprinkle with toasted nuts.

Easy Gourmet Cupcakes: Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes

In the mood for something creamy, dreamy, and oh so tropical? Let my easy breezy Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes transport you to cupcake paradise. Welcome to the second installment of my series on easy gourmet cupcakes.

Let my Easy Gourmet Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes transport you to cupcake paradise!

These Easy Gourmet Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes will make you think you've died and gone to cupcake heaven. So creamy. So sweet. So worth the calories.




These easy cupcakes are made with a pineapple cake mix, filled with pineapple preserves, and frosted with creamy dreamy Coconut Cream Frosting - one of my favorite frostings of all time. They're finished off with a sprinkling of coconut and a gorgeous bright red cherry.

Start by doctoring a pineapple cake mix and baking up a batch of perfect pineapple cupcakes.




When your cupcakes have cooled, use the back end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake.

Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with pineapple preserves, twist closed, and snip off 1/3 of an inch off of one corner.




Squeeze preserves into the center of each cupcake until you see it coming up out the top.

Now, whip up my fabulous coconut cream frosting. Coconut butter is the secret ingredient to the creamiest and coconutiest frosting you will ever have. You may need to go to a specialty food store to find it. I got mine at Whole Foods. I know that Sprouts also carries it.

Cream a stick and a half of unsalted butter with a healthy scoop of coconut butter for 30 seconds.

Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar.

Scape down the bowl again and beat in 2 tablespoons of coconut milk.

Scrape the bowl down again and beat in 3 more cups of powdered sugar.




Beat in more coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time until your frosting is the right piping consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.




Then, scrape down the bowl one more time and beat on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Snip off the corner of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your frosting tip. Insert the tip, stand the bag up in a tall cup, and fill with frosting.




Pipe frosting onto each cupcake and immediately sprinkle with shredded coconut. Top each cupcake with a maraschino cherry.

Get ready for your batch of creamy dreamy Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes to make you the talk of the town.

Easy Gourmet Pineapple Coconut Cream Cupcakes
Makes about 24 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the pineapple cupcakes:
1 16.5 oz box pineapple cake mix
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup milk
4 eggs
* These ingredients are based on a cake mix that calls for 3 eggs, 1 cup of water, and 1/3 cup of oil. I added an extra egg, subbed whole milk for the water, and subbed melted butter for the oil, and then doubled the amount of butter.

For the coconut cream frosting:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup + 3 Tbsp coconut butter
6 cups powdered sugar
4 to 8 Tbsp coconut milk

1 10.5 oz jar pineapple preserves for filling
1/2 cup shredded coconut to top
24 maraschino cherries to top

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 2 cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners (My batter actually made 27 cupcakes).
2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the cupcakes and mix well using a hand mixer, whisk, or wooden spoon. The batter should be smooth.
3. Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of batter (or use a size 20 cupcake scoop) into each liner.
4. Bake cupcakes for the time recommended on your cake mix box for cupcakes. Check them at the earliest time by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the cupcakes near the center of the oven until it comes out clean.
5. Let cupcakes cool in pans for 15 minutes and then remove from the pans to cool completely.
6. When your cupcakes are cooled, use the end of a wooden spoon to make a hole in the center of each cupcake being careful not to punch through the bottom.
7. Fill a Ziplock freezer bag with your jarred pineapple preserves, twist the top closed (you can use a twist tie, if you like), snip off a 1/3 inch off of one corner, and squeeze filling into each cupcake until you see the filling coming up out of the top of the cupcake.
8. For the coconut cream frosting, beat the butter and coconut butter for 30 seconds.
9. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 cups powdered sugar.
10. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in 2 Tbsp coconut milk.
11. Scrape down the bowl and beat in 3 more cups powdered sugar.
12. Scrape down the bowl again and beat in coconut milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you get a good pipable consistency - not too stiff, not too soft.
13. Scrape down the bowl again and beat on high for 3 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.
14. Snip off one corner of another Ziplock freezer bag a little smaller than your piping tip. Slide in your piping tip and set bag in a tall cup to easily fill with frosting.
15. Twist the top of your bag closed and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
16. Immediately sprinkle with shredded coconut and top with a cherry.