Salted Caramel Mini Rolo Cupcakes! Perfect Pairing for a Tasting at Winestyr!

We were planning a get together with some of the gals I used to have book club with and one of those gals recently started working at Winestyr, this great company that highlights the smaller family run wineries that can’t compete with the big dogs! So, they just opened this amazing tasting room in Chicago, so we set up a time for tasting. I, of course, had to bring a baked good. What pairs better with wine than chocolate? Nothing! So, I made these adorable little chocolate cupcakes, stuffed with a Rolo, topped with a salted caramel swiss meringue buttercream, then drizzled with more caramel! I don’t know about you, but when I think wine tasting, I think Rolos…. 😉

We started the book club last year all with the best intentions! Get together, read more, drink more, catch up. So, we started out strong. I think most of us read the book! Then as the months would go by, less and less of us read the book! We still of course enjoyed the wine, the company and the food. The holidays came last year, and we put book club on hold. Well 6 months later, I am jumping on the Re-boot bandwagon. Can I just digress for one minute here? Not every show should be re-booted. In fact, almost all TV shows should NOT be re-booted. They had their day and time in television history, then it was time to step aside and make room for the new ideas and new shows. Well, apparently no one in Hollywood has an original idea, so let’s just bring back all the old shows…. grrr. Ok, back to MY re-boot. We are ditching the books in book club, and christening my re-boot as Wine Club! Now, Wine Club does not mean you have to distinguish between barrel aged, region and tannins. Our Wine Club is just a bunch a gals who like to drink wine! No thought required!

This fab idea was born when we were doing our fun wine tasting at Winestyr. I love this company. Like I said, it gives the little gals/guys a chance and gets their wines out there and ready for my first Wine Club! You just call and set up a reservation for your tasting and voila! No cost to the tasting either!! They rely on wine sales and memberships. Well of course I had to sign up, duh (what are the kids saying these days, is duh still relevant?). I need a wine stock pile for my Wine Club.

I brought these little chocolate bites of gooey, caramelly, roloey goodness for the gals to enjoy with our tasting! Perfect accompaniment to a cheeseboard!

Just look at that caramel! Just look at that chocolate!

So, whip up a batch of these chocolate cupcakes, reserve a tasting at Winestyr and start your own Wine Club! Wine knowledge not required (wine drinking a must)!

XOXO Diane

Salted Caramel Mini Rolo Cupcakes

 

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Prep time

35 mins

Cook time

13 mins

Total time

48 mins

 

Author: Diane

Serves: 48

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• 1 and ⅓ cups ap flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup butter room temp
• ¼ sorghum syrup (or brown rice syrup)
• 2 large eggs room temp
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ brown sugar
• ¼ cup buttermilk room temp
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• ¾ cup whole milk room temp
• 1 tsp. instant espresso
• 3 tbsp. hot water
• 48 Rolos (I kept in fridge before use)
• For the Salted Caramel:
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• 4 tbsp. salted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. of sea salt
• Salted Carmel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
• 7 large egg whites
• 1 ½ cups of sugar
• ½ tsp. of salt
• ⅓ cup of salted caramel
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 ½ sticks unsalted room temperature butter

Instructions

1. For the Cupcakes:
2. In a medium bowl combine the flower, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder, espresso and set aside.
3. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line two 24 cupcake pan with liners, set aside. In a separate bowl, combine, the milk, buttermilk and vanilla extract, peppermint extract and set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Slowly add the sugar and beat to combine, about five minutes. Scrap down side of bowl as needed. Add the sorghum syrup and combine until incorporated.
5. Next add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully combined. Add one third of the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Next add half of the liquid mixture and beat until combined. Add another third of the dry and beat until combined. Next pour in the rest of the liquid and beat until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Add the hot water and mix to incorporate. Do not over mix.
6. Fill each of liners just under ⅔rds full, gently place a Rolo in each cupcake don’t push down to the bottom, otherwise they will melt into the cupcake liner. The tops of the Rolos will be showing. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until toothpick inserted ( go in on the side, because of the Rolo in the center) comes out with an only a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes then remove to cool on wire rack Completely.
7. For the Salted Caramel:
8. You can use store bought in a pinch, but this is so easy and tastes so much better why wouldn't you make your own.
9. Heat the sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat, stir frequently until the sugar has melted completely and is deep/golden amber color.
10. Carefully add the cream, it will boil up rapidly, keep stirring and continue to mix for another minute or so.
11. Remove from heat, add the butter and stir to combine. Add the salt and the vanilla extract. Transfer to heat proof container. Can be stored in the fridge covered for up to two weeks. Gently re-heat when ready to use.
12. For the Buttercream:
13. Separate whites from yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer.
14. Pour sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer with the egg whites.
15. Place bowl over, not touching, a pot with simmering water.
16. Whisk constantly until sugar has completely dissolved around 160 degrees. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, you can tell it’s done when you rub a little of the mixture between your fingers and it is completely smooth with no graininess. Should take about 10 minutes.
17. Then return bowl to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment.
18. Begin beating the eggs and sugar until whites are glossy and stiff peaks have formed. The bowl should be cool to the touch, this will take around 10 minutes.
19. Next switch to the paddle attachment and beat on medium high speed.
20. Add the butter slowly one piece at a time to incorporate. The mixture will look like it’s curdled, keep mixing, that is normal. Mix until frosting is smooth and shiny.
21. Add in the vanilla extract and salted caramel and mix to combine.
22. Store in air-tight container in the fridge for up to a
23. week or freeze for up to 4 four months.
24. Decorate cooled cupcakes with a tip of your choice, I used round. Drizzle salted caramel over tops. Store decorated cupcakes at room temp in air-tight container for up to 2 days or covered in the fridge for up to 5.
25. Enjoy!

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