Recipe - Ginger Caramel Cupcakes

CARAMEL
1/3 cup Plus
2 tablespoon Water
Three fourths cup Sugar

BATTER
1 cup Flour
Three fourths teaspoon Baking powder
One fourth cup Baking soda
One half teaspoon Ground cinnamon
One fourth teaspoon Salt
6 tablespoon Unsalted butter, room
temperature
1/3 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1/3 cup Sour cream
Frosting
6 tablespoon Unsalted butter, room
temperature
2 One half cup Confectioners' sugar, sifted
(up to 3)
One fourth cup Reserved caramel mixture

Heat oven to 350. Line sixteen 2 1/2" muffin cups with foil liners. Coat
lightly with cooking spray.

For caramel: Place 1/3 cup water near the stove. Heat sugar and 2
tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium high heat until sugar
starts to dissolve, 3 to 4 minutes. Swirl pan constantly as mixture starts
to turn golden in color. When mixture begins to smoke, turns amber colored
and sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes, remove from heat. Watch very
carefully during the last stage because sugar mixture will turn very
quickly.

Very carefully add 1/3 cup water in 3 additions to saucepan, holding pan at
arm's length, to avoid spattering; mixture is very hot. Stir until caramel
is dissolved, return to heat if needed. Pour into 1 cup glass measuring
cup. Add water to equal Three fourths cup if needed. Let stand until cooled to room
temperature. Use One half cup for batter and One fourth cup for frosting.

For batter: stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger,
cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in another bowl
until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and sour cream until blended.
Alternately fold in flour mixture and One half cup cooled caramel mixture in 3
additions, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon into muffin cups.

Bake in 350 oven for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a rack for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pans; cool
completely on wire rack.

For frosting: beat butter in medium size bowl until smooth. Gradually beat
in confectioners' sugar and remaining One fourth cup caramel mixture; beat 1
minutes or until creamy. Frost cupcakes.
Posted to FOODWINE Digest 31 Jan 97 by Laura Hunter LHunter722@AOL.COM on
Feb 1, 1997.