Caramel Cashew Cupcake Recipes

CARAMEL CASHEW CUPCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
• For the caramel sauce: In a small, heavy saucepan, mix together the brown sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and browns. Set aside to cool. Reserve 1/4 cup for the cake batter and 1/2 cup for the frosting; set aside the rest for drizzling on top of the cupcakes.
• For the cake batter: On an ungreased baking sheet, roast the cashews for 5 minutes; cool and chop into pieces. Reserve 1/4 cup for the batter and set aside the rest for garnishing the cupcakes.
• Sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add the buttermilk, oil, orange zest, vanilla extract, eggs and the reserved 1/4 cup caramel sauce and 1/4 cup chopped cashews. Mix until smooth and completely combined.
• Pour the batter into the cupcake liners and bake until golden brown and risen, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.
• For the caramel frosting: In a medium mixing bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter. Add the confectioners' sugar 1/4 cup at a time and mix until completely smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and reserved 1/2 cup caramel sauce and mix until combined.
• To assemble: Frost each cupcake with some of the caramel frosting. Drizzle the remaining caramel over the top of each cupcake and sprinkle with the remaining chopped cashews. Sprinkle with orange zest to taste. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

CARAMEL CASHEW CLUSTERS

Steps:

• Line baking sheets with waxed paper and grease paper with butter; set aside., In a microwave, melt 1 pound of candy coating; stir until smooth. Drop by scant tablespoonfuls onto prepared pans. Let stand until partially set, about 3 minutes. Top each with six or seven cashews. Let stand until completely set., In a small heavy saucepan, combine caramels and cream. Cook and stir over low heat until melted; stir until smooth. Spoon over cashews. Reheat caramel over low heat if it thickens. Melt remaining candy coating; spoon over caramel. Let stand until set.

RICH CHOCOLATE CARAMEL CUPCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 30 regular-size cupcake or muffin cups with paper cupcake liners or line 6 dozen (72) mini cupcake or mini muffin cups with mini cupcake liners.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Sift the cocoa powder in a separate bowl. Whisk the hot water into the cocoa until smooth. In bowl of electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter well. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla and mix until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and add the cocoa mixture. Beat just until smooth. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4-full and bake the regular-size cupcakes for 20 minutes, or until cooked through or bake the mini cupcakes for 19 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the cupcakes from the pan and let cool completely. Fill with Caramel Cream Center and top with Ganache Frosting and the prepared blue rock sugar.
• Warm the egg whites and sugar over a double boiler, stirring the egg mixture until the sugar dissolves and the mixture feels warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and whip until medium-stiff peaks form. With the mixer running, gradually add the softened butter and vanilla until thick and smooth. Fold in the Agave Caramel Sauce until fully incorporated. Place the Caramel Cream Center in a pastry bag fitted with pastry tip and fill the cooled cupcakes.
• In a small saucepan, heat the water over high heat until hot but not boiling. Add the sugar and the agave and stir gently to dissolve. Bring the mixture to a boil, and heat to 330 degrees F, or to a warm brown color. Add the cream slowly, whisking constantly, the caramel will bubble and rise. Add the butter and continue whisking over the heat until the caramel is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Chill the mixture to thicken.
• In a saucepan, heat the cream to scald. Add the chocolate chips. Stir the mixture until smooth. Chill on the ice bath until a spreadable consistency, stirring frequently. Frost the filled cupcakes with the ganache and garnish with the prepared rock sugar.

SALTED CARAMEL MOCHA CUPCAKE

Steps:

• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan or cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
• Mix the coffee extract into the brewed coffee. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix to combine. Add the butter, vanilla and eggs and beat on medium speed until combined. Add half of the coffee and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining coffee. Beat for another 20 seconds until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling them three-quarter full. Bake until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool.
• For the ganache: In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, corn syrup and granulated sugar to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted. Add the coffee extract and whisk until smooth. Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Transfer the ganache to a bowl to cool.
• For the salted caramel coffee frosting: If using the espresso powder, mix the espresso powder and the vanilla together in a small bowl until dissolved and set aside.
• Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the caramel and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to low, add half of the confectioners' sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the rest of the confectioners' sugar and mix until combined. Add the coffee extract and vanilla (or the espresso powder and vanilla mixture) and continue to mix at medium-high speed until completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary. Whip the frosting until fluffy. If necessary, use 1 to 2 tablespoons milk to loosen the frosting.
• To assemble: Cut a small and shallow hole in each cupcake and fill with the ganache. Frost the cupcakes with the salted caramel coffee frosting and sprinkle with a few granules of fleur de sel.

GRANDMA'S CANADIAN CASHEW CARAMELS

Steps:

• Lightly spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray. Arrange chopped cashews in the bottom of dish.
• Combine brown sugar, golden syrup, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Do not stir once the sugar syrup begins to boil. Heat to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball.
• Pour caramel over top of cashews. Stir well. Use a heatproof rubber spatula to spread the mixture evenly in the dish; allow to cool for 1 hour. Cut cooled caramel into squares or roll into balls as desired.

SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.
• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Briefly mix in the flour until just combined, and stir in the milk until the batter just falls off the beaters.
• Divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce if it's not salted caramel, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half of the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy. Stir in half of the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle.
• Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. Stir the remaining caramel sauce with a pinch of salt, if unsalted, then use to drizzle over the icing. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt over each, if you like.

CARAMEL CASHEW CAKE POPS

Steps:

• Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Cool completely on a wire rack., Crumble cake into a large bowl. Add dulce de leche and mix well. Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on baking sheets; insert sticks. Freeze for at least 2 hours or refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until cake balls are firm., In a microwave, melt candy coating. Dip each cake ball in coating; allow excess to drip off. Coat with cashews. Insert cake pops into a styrofoam block to stand. Let stand until set.

CARAMEL CASHEW CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan with foil. In small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs and butter with fork until well blended. Press firmly against bottom and up sides of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in 1/4 cup whipping cream, the vanilla and 1/4 cup of the caramel topping. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour over crust in pan.
• Bake 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 35 minutes or until cheesecake is set 2 inches from edge and center is slightly jiggly. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover; refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• In small bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Remove side of pan. Top individual servings with whipped cream; drizzle with remaining caramel topping. Sprinkle with cashews.

CASHEW CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).
• Mix popcorn and cashews together in a large roasting pan.
• Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until a candy thermometer inserted into the middle of the syrup, not touching the bottom, reads 260 degrees F (127 degrees C), 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove syrup from heat; stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn and cashews; stir to coat.
• Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 20 minutes, until sugar mixture has baked and caramelized onto popcorn and cashews, about 1 hour. Spread cashew caramel corn onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to cool. If desired, form into balls while still warm.