.:RECIPE o' THE MONTH:.

Happy April! To continue on with my Recipe o' The Month tradition, I'm sharing with you a FAN.TASTIC recipe for April. I mean... really. I came upon it while on the Fields of Cake and Other Good Stuff blog page. Get a load of this... 

SOMOA-CARMEL DELIGHT CUPCAKES! 

This recipe and photo are fully accredited to Fields of Cake. 

Check out their blog for more great info.

Helloo?? Amazing!! Good work Fields of Cake. Good work. 
This recipe was taken DIRECTLY from Fields of Cake. It has 4 parts.  It looks like it's a lot, but break it down and it's totally do-able (and worth while!).

1. The Filling
2. The Cookie 
3. The Cake
4. The Frosting

1. Coconut Chocolate Chip Caramel Filling
.:THE GOODS:.

1/3 cup toasted coconut chopped up a bit

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup corn syrup

pinch sea salt (fine)

1/2 Cup water

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter cut into 6 chunks

1/2 Cup heavy cream (room temp)

3 Tbsp. malibu rum

.:TIP:.

Get all of your ingredients measured out and situated right next to you because the process should go relatively fast and there is no time for dilly dallying once it is started.

.:THE PROCESS:.

In a heavy bottomed pot, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Whisk over medium high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and it comes to a boil. Cover pot and allow the steam to clean the sides of the pot...about 2 minutes. Uncover and turn to high. Boil mixture without stirring until it reaches 315 degrees. Remove from the heat and swirl the pot very gently. The mixture should be a very light amber but will continue to darken with the residual heat.

Drop the butter pieces in and whisk like crazy. It will steam and bubble so be careful! Next pour in the cream and again whisk like crazy and be careful. Lastly stir in the rum (set aside a bit of the plain caramel for drizzling on the finished product) then the coconut and chocolate chips. Set aside and allow to cool. It will thicken up nicely for you as long as you followed all the steps. YUM!

2. The Cookie Crust
.:THE GOODS:.

1 package girl scout shortbread cookies

1/4 cup toasted coconut chopped a bit

4 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter melted


.:THE PROCESS:.
Place all ingredients in a ziploc bag and mush around till combined. Place 1 heaping Tbsp. in the bottom of your cupcake liner and bake at 375 for 7 minutes. Set aside

3. The Chocolate Cupcake
.:THE GOODS:.

2 Cups (10 ounces) flour

3/4 Cup (3 3/4 ounces) dark cocoa powder

2 Cups (14.5 ounces) sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 cup very strong coffee

1 cup buttermilk

1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup vegetable oil


.:THE PROCESS:.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a large measuring cup (4 cups or larger) whisk together eggs, coffee, buttermilk, vanilla extract and oil.

Pour the liquid mixture into the center of the dry mixture and whisk like crazy until it is smooth. Divide into your prepared cups evenly...( I have found this will make approximately 30 in my 4 ounce paper portion cups)

Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed...about 18-23 minutes.

4. Malibu Rum Buttercream
.:THE GOODS:.
1 lb. unsalted butter

1 3 ounce package white chocolate pudding mix

1 1/4 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup malibu rum

1/4 cup-1 cup powdered sugar (to taste)


.:THE PROCESS:.

With stand mixer, beat the butter and pudding mix on medium high for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy (I usually scrape my bowl down about half way through this stage to make sure I got all the pudding mix in there)

Turn mixer down to low and slowly incorporate the cream and rum. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again then Turn back up to medium high and beat another 5 minutes.

Slowly add the powdered sugar and taste along the way until it is the sweetness you like.

.: PUT IT ALL TOGETHER NOW:.

To assemble these amazing treats, just cut a cone into the cooled cupcake. Fill the cavity you just made with the coconut caramel and replace the piece you just cut out. Top with about a 1/2 tbsp. of ganache then Pipe on your buttercream then drizzle with caramel and place that cookie on top!