11/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup popcorn flour or use all-purpose flour for this amount too
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp is best
1/4 cup pureed cream corn
2 eggs, room temp
2 egg whites, room temp
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup milk *infused with buttered popcorn* (optional)
1/4 cup buttered popcorn for milk
1 cup buttered popcorn for decorating cupcakes
Directions
-Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin pans with cupcake liners
-In a small saucepan, heat milk on medium-low heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges.
-Stir in buttered popcorn and take off the heat to let steep for 10 minutes.
-Strain popcorn out of milk, add vanilla and set aside.
-In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, baking powder, and salt.
-In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until a pale color and very fluffly in your stand mixer (about 3 minutes)
-On a low speed, add purred creamed corn, and eggs one at a time.
-Alternate adding half the flour mixture, then half the milk mixture in two additions. Scrape down sides of bowl and mix well but don't over beat.
-Pour batter into cupcake liners a little more than three-fourths full.
-Bake about 15 minutes until cupcakes are golden brown and when gently pressed with fingers, springs back.
-Set cupcake pan on cooling wrack and let cool a few minutes before transferring them directly on the cooling wrack to cool completely.
-Frost cupcakes with sea salt caramel buttercream, buttered popcorn, and drizzled caramel sauce.
Salted Caramel Buttercream/Sauce-by David Lebovitz
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbs butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt-to taste
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp
1 stick salted butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1-3 tbs water, room temp
Directions
-In a large heavy duty saucepan over medium to med-low heat, cook sugar without stirring until the sugar near the edges of the pan starts to liquefy.
-Using a wooden spoon, begin gently stirring, encouraging the melted sugar around the edges toward the center and delicately stirring up any sugar melting on the bottom as well. The sugar may look pebbly as it cooks, but keep going; it will melt completely as it turns amber color.
-Continue to cook until the sugar turns a deep brown color and starts to smoke a little. The darker you can cook the sugar without burning it, the better the final sauce will taste. You will know it's ready when the sugar is the color of a well-worn penny and smells slightly smokey.
-Remove the saucepan from the heat carefully and continue to stir, protecting your hands and arms, pour half the heavy cream-the mixture will bubble up furiously with just enough attitude but nothing you can't handle.
-Stir in the rest of the heavy cream until smooth.
-Stir in 2 tbs butter, vanilla, and salt to taste. Mix well.
-Pour into a heat proof container and set aside to cool for the buttercream frosting.
Buttercream Frosting
-Cream butters and sugar for 4 minutes.
-On a low speed at first, add powdered sugar-then beat well until very fluffy, adding water a little at a time while mixing. The water will help with air volume.
-Add 2-3 tbs cooled salted caramel and beat another minute.
-Pipe frosting onto cupcakes or create smooth frosting whip.
MY son is a freak for butter popcorn. Do you have any links for popcorn flour or how to infuse the milk with popcorn?
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