Chocolate Mocha Caramel and Margarita Cupcakes

For BMW--again:) These were fun to make. As always, I make them in the morning and serve them by early afternoon. I do not like day old cupcakes but had twelve chocolate leftover that I did not take to work. Time to experiment! The next morning I used a straw to remove some of the cupcake middle, stirred chocolate in piping hot coffee, added more caramel and then put the mixture in the holes. I made some milk chocolate frosting but this time I sprinkled the tops with broken pretzels, salt, and crushed toffee bits. I wish I had a pic of one.

Back to the Margarita Cupcakes. A little 1800 tequila in the frosting, which honestly needed more but since I don't like tequila (or drink), I really didn't know how much to add. Folks said they could hardly tell it was in the frosting, if at all, so next time I will add a couple more teaspoons of 1800 but loved the frosting anyway with its lime zest infused. The cake was my go to lemon flavor but I changed it up a bit by using limes (juice and zest), more salt than usual, and and let the baking soda bubble a bit. Bang! Another pleasing taste and with the cream cheese/buttercream frosting, they were pretty yummy:)

The chocolate cupcakes called for buttermilk, which is a great moistening element for a cake. This batter contained both baking powder and baking soda. I'm not a fan of too many leavening agents because it can really effect the taste and turn it into something bitter. King Arthur Flour gives us some wonderful tips when trying to create that airy rise:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/leaveners.html

I am on my way to creating a signature cookie and hope you will stop by for winning ingredients. I think some caramel and pecans are a must! We'll see.....

Raspberry Bars

Bars are basically a base and a topping. Reserved base can be added after the topping or you can omit it. Your call. Shortbread, graham, and chocolate wafers seem to be the most popular bases with a soft or crispy crunch. I like a shortbread crunch, which goes well with various recipes such as, fruit bars, cheese bars, and chocolate bars. A great filling is Polaner All Fruit Raspeberry. There isn't any added sugar and it has a tart bite. 

When you make the base, do not be afraid of the dryness. Too much butter will make the bottom soggy and who wants that? Using non-stick tin foil spread and pressed throughout the bottom and sides will allow for an easy release and I like the way the crust cooks on it. 

Besides crumbs and the butter, nuts can be added, but make sure they are chopped small enough. Even almond flour can be added, which really makes a great base for fruit base.