For Caramel Frosting:
2 sticks butter, room temperature
1/2 cup caramel syrup (the coffee-syrup kind, NOT the sundae kind)
1 tsp vanilla extract
About 5 cups powdered sugar
For Cupcakes:
1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1 box sugar free/fat free vanilla pudding mix
For Garnish:
1-2 PayDay candy bars, roughly chopped
About 1 & 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts
Caramel sundae sauce (for drizzling)
Sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with about 18 paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cupcake ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Portion the batter evenly among muffin cups, filling about 3/4 cup full. Bake for approx. 14-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
3. For the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, caramel syrup and vanilla until creamed, about a minute. Gradually add powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, until frosting is light and fluffy. Spoon into a piping bag attached with a large open circle tip . Pipe icing onto cooled cupcakes.
4. Gently press the honey roasted peanuts along the perimeter of the frosted cupcakes. Top each frosted cupcake with a couple pieces of chopped PayDay bars, then drizzle with the caramel sundae syrup.
Finish with a light sprinkling of sea salt.
5. These cupcakes are best served the same day. Store leftovers at room
temperature, up to 1 additional day.
