Pumpkin Caramels.
I made those.
Having never have made caramels before, the process seemed daunting.
But I got this new book, Sweet Confections by Nina Wanat and knew I wanted to try. Her directions are easy to follow and the photography was done by the amazing Todd and Diane of White on Rice.
The pictures are enough to make you drop everything and run to the store for supplies.
But since I didn't want to put Nina's beautifully perfect recipe here (that's what the book is for), but still wanted you to be able to sample some if this wonderful pumpkin and chocolate deliciousness, I made cupcakes.
Pumpkin Chocolate cupcakes.
With cinnamon buttercream.
And a caramel on top.
These tasted amazing. Ah-mazing.
I remembered I had some of these fun *free-standing muffin molds and I literally danced over to my supply closet to retrieve them. (I also used *these fun little cupcake liners.)
Um, I like baking. And cupcake liners. And dancing in my kitchen. And eating pumpkin caramels.
Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes (adapted from Country Living)
1 1/2 cups Flour
2/3 cups Cocoa
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Vanilla Yogurt
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 cups Butter, softened
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
4 large Eggs
Directions
Preheat oven to 325.
Prepare cupcake pan with your fun and festive liners.
In mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, set aside. Stir yogurt, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and yogurt mixtures in thirds, starting and ending with flour.
Bake for 18-25 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove once toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, or center springs back when touched.
This recipe for Cinnamon Buttercream is divine, I simply excluded the brown sugar. (Because I wanted it to be whiter, not for taste purposes. I am a vain baker like that.)
I used a *2D tip to pipe out big clouds of cinnamon frosting. Then I simply went back and added a caramel square to each cupcake.
Now for the fun part... I would like to give YOU a copy of Sweet Confections!
Simply leave a comment.
Good luck!
CONTEST CLOSED! The winning comment was #115, Roberta. I will be sending you an email Roberta!
Thanks all who participated!
Open to USA and Canada residents only. Sorry all you fabulous international bakers! No comments accepted from Facebook.
*Amazon Affiliate link.
I might be too late for the giveaway, but if not, the cake looks great but I like hearing your "next time around" adjustments.
Posted by: Jen | Oct 06, 2011 at 11:47 PM
That looks awesome, Amanda! We are huge caramel fans around here. I know, for me, it stems from some awesome caramels that my great grandma was famous for. YUM!!!
Posted by: Brenda @ a farmgirl's dabbles | Oct 07, 2011 at 07:10 AM
Wow. Why haven't I seen pumpkin caramels before? Those sound amazing!
Posted by: Melissa | Oct 07, 2011 at 07:15 AM
Those look so wonderful !!! I would love to make them !
Posted by: Shari | Oct 07, 2011 at 09:30 AM
YUM these look scrumptious!!! I have been following your blog for about a month, and I LOVE all the sweet confections you 'bake' up (can't say cook, its a baking blog lol) :) I am going to have to try some of these recipes.
Posted by: Lizzie King | Oct 07, 2011 at 09:42 AM
Yum, Yum, Yum!! I will definitely be trying those!
Posted by: Katie | Oct 07, 2011 at 09:49 AM
I would love this cookbook!
Posted by: Danielle | Oct 07, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Thanks for giving your readers such a sweet opportunity!
Posted by: Renee Simmons | Oct 07, 2011 at 10:28 AM
Oh my, mouth watering! On top of that they are beautiful. Thank for the chance to have them.
Posted by: Crystal Hine | Oct 07, 2011 at 10:29 AM
They look delicious! I wish I could reach into my computer & eat one!
Posted by: Lisa | Oct 07, 2011 at 10:36 AM
You are such a beautiful baker!
Posted by: Diana | Oct 07, 2011 at 10:43 AM
Do you know sad it is when you hold your nose as close to the screen as you possibly can but still can't smell those delicious caramels? *Sigh* I guess I'll just have to go make some. :)
Posted by: Jessica G. | Oct 07, 2011 at 11:12 AM
I have been so into making caramel lately, so this is perfectly paired...Yummm...Thank you!
Posted by: pat | Oct 07, 2011 at 12:49 PM
Yummmm!!!
Posted by: pat | Oct 07, 2011 at 12:53 PM
What a fun giveaway - and gorgeous cupcakes! I'm ready for some pumpkin goodness now that it isn't 90 degrees every day. Thanks!
Posted by: Elizabeth L in Apex, NC | Oct 07, 2011 at 01:02 PM
OHHHHH these look so delicious...I really really really really hope I win.
Posted by: Emily Jones | Oct 07, 2011 at 01:05 PM
Oooh, fantastic. I love chocolate and pumpkin, especially combined with cheesecake. Oh yeah.
Posted by: voxangelus | Oct 07, 2011 at 01:19 PM
I can't wait to try these! They look incredible! My family loves anything w. chocolate and pumpkin.
Posted by: Cheryl | Oct 07, 2011 at 01:44 PM
Pumpkin caramels?! Oh, my goodness. Yes, please!
Posted by: Alison | Oct 07, 2011 at 01:45 PM
i need more cook books. especially ones involving sugar
Posted by: Elizabeth Kivari | Oct 07, 2011 at 01:45 PM
Going to make these right now. They'll go most wonderfully with the "new baby meal" I'm making. With a few for my monkeys too, of coarse.
Posted by: All My Monkeys | Oct 07, 2011 at 02:01 PM
These look Amazing! And congrats on your own book too :-)
Posted by: Karleen | Oct 07, 2011 at 02:32 PM
That looks devine!
Posted by: Emma S. | Oct 07, 2011 at 02:46 PM
pumpkin and chocolate make an unexpectedly delicious combination!
Posted by: grace | Oct 07, 2011 at 02:47 PM
OH my those look amazing! I love anything pumpkin did my first pumpkin butter last year.
I am so excited for you` and your book!!
Posted by: Beth | Oct 07, 2011 at 04:36 PM
Pumpkin Caramels! I am intrigued! I would love to win this book and give them a try. Thank you for offering it.
Posted by: Charmin | Oct 07, 2011 at 05:07 PM
Oooh, I love pumpkin season!!
Posted by: kristen Van Dyke | Oct 07, 2011 at 07:08 PM
Yum Yum in the tum, as my mom used to say. : )
Posted by: Shannon | Oct 07, 2011 at 07:23 PM
Are you still accepting comments for the giveaway? Always love a new book :)
Posted by: Rebecca | Oct 07, 2011 at 08:21 PM
My new favorite thing to cook in the kitchen is now pumpkin. And I'm super curious about the whole pumpkin caramel idea...
I also enjoy dancing in the kitchen.
Posted by: CarinaRdz | Oct 07, 2011 at 09:33 PM
Those look beautiful!
Posted by: LAMusing | Oct 08, 2011 at 02:58 AM
I'd love to win it for my daughter ... so she can make yummy creations for me to try
Posted by: Norma | Oct 08, 2011 at 03:00 AM
I would love to own a copy of this book! My fall baking needs a good push!
Posted by: Holly G. | Oct 08, 2011 at 06:23 AM
Mmmm..those look sooo good! Before noticing that you had a giveway, I immediately checked to see if my library carries Sweet Confections. I was sad to learn that they do not. *sad face* After making caramel sauce this morning, those pumpkin caramels sound perfect. :)
Posted by: alittlebitograce | Oct 08, 2011 at 09:40 AM
Love love love the season of pumpkins! Can't wait to try this!
Posted by: Emily | Oct 08, 2011 at 04:14 PM
This page is agony for a diabetic! At least I can make them and maybe make someone else happy!! Thanks!!!
Posted by: JJ Ordway | Oct 08, 2011 at 07:37 PM
Pumpkin is my favorite thing to eat, and I love any new recipe with pumpkin in it.
Posted by: Sidney fox | Oct 08, 2011 at 11:17 PM
Pick me!!! I want this book LOTS!
Posted by: SweetSugarBelle | Oct 09, 2011 at 12:49 AM
These look awesome! I need to get better at baking :)
Posted by: Heather | Oct 09, 2011 at 09:29 AM
I love every sweet thing presented in this post (and this blog), Amanda! The pumpkin caramels alone are reason for me to look into this book - that sounds like the best thing right now. :-)
Posted by: Kathy - Panini Happy | Oct 09, 2011 at 10:25 AM
A must try for sure! Yummy!
Posted by: Shauna | Oct 09, 2011 at 05:05 PM
Oh how I love caramels and Pumpkin Caramels - oh my goodness. I'm dying over here. Thanks so much for linking them up in the Holiday Recipe Exchange!
Posted by: Jamie | My Baking Addiction | Oct 09, 2011 at 08:02 PM
I just wanted to follow up to say these turned out fantastic. I made them for my daughter's birthday and adult and child alike loved them. It made more than 24, so I used the rest of the batter for a cake and made cake balls.
Thanks again!
Posted by: Angela | Oct 11, 2011 at 03:46 PM
Oh my goodness! These look amazing! You are really too much :) So fun to finally meet you a few weeks ago. You are hilarious my friend!
Posted by: Amy {The Idea Room} | Oct 12, 2011 at 05:15 PM
How many cupcakes does this recipe yield?
Posted by: Kelly | Oct 18, 2011 at 01:32 PM
How many does this make please?
Posted by: Julia Levy | Oct 21, 2011 at 03:14 AM
These look so beautiful xx
Posted by: Francesca | Oct 30, 2011 at 09:03 AM