A really tasty, light chocolate frosting (which for some reason I left in weirdo lumps??) paired with nice cupcakes. I recommend sticking with mini-cupcakes for these (which gives you about 36), as in full-sized cupcakes the bits sink to the bottom. I’d also suggest baking them when you’ll have some help eating them, as they do seem to dry out faster than non-gf cupcakes. But if you scarf them fresh, you should enjoy!

Ingredients:

Batter:

• 1 1/4 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1/4 cup caramel squares or bits, diced
• 1/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 extra-large eggs
• scant 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache Frosting:

• scant 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini muffin tins. Combine the diced caramel bits and chocolate chips with the teaspoon of flour, stirring until the caramel and chocolate are coated. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/4 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla.

Stir the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients.

Stir until the mixture is well combined and light yellow, then fold in the caramels and chocolate chips.

Spoon into the lined pans, filling each cupcake paper 2/3 full.

Bake 12-15 minutes, until the cupcakes pass the toothpick test. Cool on a rack before icing.

To make the frosting, first combine the cream, butter, and chocolate in a double boiler (as usual, I just used a regular pot) over low heat. Cook until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, then remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder until well combined. Set the mixture aside to cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, then beat with a mixer until doubled in volume, 5-8 minutes. The chocolate starts getting lighter very quickly, but keep beating and it’ll keep getting lighter (and bigger!) as more air is worked in.

Frost the cooled cupcakes with the beaten chocolate mixture, and enjoy.

Gluten Free Caramel Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

From Gluten Free Canteen.

Batter:

• 1 1/4 cups + 1 teaspoon all-purpose gluten free flour
• 1/4 cup caramel squares or bits, diced
• 1/4 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 extra-large eggs
• scant 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache Frosting:

• scant 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line mini muffin tins. Combine the diced caramel bits and chocolate chips with the teaspoon of flour, stirring until the caramel and chocolate are coated. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 1/4 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla, then stir into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture is well combined and light yellow, then fold in the caramels and chocolate chips. Spoon into the lined pans, filling each cupcake paper 2/3 full. Bake 12-15 minutes, until the cupcakes pass the toothpick test. Cool on a rack before icing.

To make the frosting, first combine the cream, butter, and chocolate in a double boiler over low heat. Cook until the butter and chocolate are completely melted, then remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder until well combined. Set the mixture aside to cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, then beat with a mixer until doubled in volume, 5-8 minutes. Frost the cooled cupcakes with the beaten chocolate mixture, and enjoy.