Lemon lavender cupcakes
1 Betty CrockerSuper moist vanilla cake mix
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (juice scant 1/4 cup)
1 tbs very potent smelling lavender, rubbed between fingers
Water (minus amount of juice), oil, eggs according to instructions on box
Lemon glaze (sugar, zest, juice, thinned with a few drops of water)
Confectioners sugar
Lemon zest
Lemon juice
Few drops water
I did not measure this one out. I used about 2 cups of sugar, zest and juice of one lemon. Mix sugar, zest and juice. Add water a few drops at a time if it needs to be thinned.
Lemon frosting
1 lb sugar
1 stick butter
Zest of 1 lemon
Lemon juice
Milk
Beat sugar, lemon zest, and butter on low until well mixed. Add juice, mix on medium. Slowly add milk until desired consistency.
Vanilla cupcakes
1 Betty Crocker French vanilla super moist mix
Scrapings from 1 vanilla bean
Water, oil, eggs, according to directions on box
Vanilla bean frosting
1 lb confectioners sugar
2 vanilla beans, scraped
1 stick butter, softened
Milk, add to get desired consistency
Beat sugar, vanilla, butter on low until well mixed. Add milk a little at a time, beat on medium until desired consistency.
Chocolate salted caramel cupcakes
1 Betty Crocker triple chocolate fudge super moist mix
1/2 cup decaf espresso
1/4 cup salted caramel
Water (minus 1/2 cup coffee), oil, eggs according to instructions on box
After baking, core the cupcakes and insert a glob of salted caramel in each.
Salted caramel
1 2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
For the salted caramel: Combine the sugar, 1/3 cup water and the corn syrup in a small saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, swirling the pot occasionally, until the mixture is a beautiful amber color (watch closely). Once the desired color is reached, immediately add the butter and stir with a wooden spoon until completely incorporated. Remove from the heat. Add the heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Stir in the coarse salt. Let cool.
Toffee
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Heat all ingredients over medium, stirring constantly, until a deep toffee color, remove from heat and pour into a foil-lined pan. When cool, break into pieces.
