Gluten-Free Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

       So if you might have noticed from our most recent posts that there is a theme of some sort going on here.  Call me silly or brilliant, either one is fine.  ;) But I came up with the idea of taking some amazing hot beverages and turning them into some amazing baked goods.  In our last post, we showed how to create a hot cocoa inspired gluten-free and vegan cupcake.  Today I bring you my version of a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, in cupcake form.  I hope you enjoy! 

You'll need:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp butter extract

3 tbsp caramel syrup

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour

1 ½ Tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup buttermilk

Makes 6 Jumbo Muffins

       Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a jumbo muffin tin and set aside till needed.

        In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Add in the sugar and extracts then continue whipping until creamed.

       Gradually add the eggs in, one by one.  Mix well between each addition.

       In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.  Then stir that into the creamed mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk.

       Pour batter into lined muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 full.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from the center and the tops are a light golden brown.

       Allow to cool in the muffin tin for five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

       Once your cupcakes have cooled, it’s time to core out the center.  Don't worry, with the proper tool this task is much easier than you might think!  If you don’t have a coring tool then I would suggest using a butter knife to cut out a circle about the size of a quarter in the center of the cupcake, going down about 1 1/2" deep. 

Macchiato Butter Cream

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tsp instant espresso (I used one Starbucks Via pack)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp caramel syrup

       In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy.  Next, add in one cup powdered sugar.  Dissolve espresso into the heavy cream then whip it into the frosting mixture.  Add in a second cup of sugar followed by the vanilla and caramel, then whip in the last cup of sugar.  Continue whipping until everything is fully combined and your icing is smooth and creamy.

       Scoop the frosting into an icing bag fitted with a large tip or fill a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, then cut one of the corners.  Pipe the butter cream into the center of a cupcake until the core is filled, then continue and frost the top of the cupcake as well.  Repeat this process until you’ve filled and iced all of the cupcakes.

 

       Serve and enjoy!  Preferably with a nice cup of hot coffee.