Ooey Gooey Pumpkin Caramel Cupcakes

By longhornfans

Spiced pumpkin cupcakes filled with dulce de leche and crowned with cream cheese frosting. A scattering of cashews, chocolate and extra caramel make it ooey gooey good.

Ingredients

• CUPCAKES:
• 1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix
• 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• FROSTING:
• 1 package (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• FILLING AND GARNISH:
• 1 (13.4-ounce) can dulce de leche (caramelized sweetened condensed milk)
• Hot fudge sauce, optional
• Cashews, optional

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place Reynolds Baking Cups in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups.

In large bowl, beat cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about two-thirds full).

Bake 19 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

FROSTING:

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla and 2 teaspoons of the milk with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Gradually beat in just enough remaining milk to make frosting smooth and spreadable.

Fit round tip (opening about 1/4 inch in diameter) in decorating bag. Spoon dulce de leche into bag. Insert tip in center of 1 cupcake, about halfway down. Gently squeeze decorating bag, pulling upwards until cupcake swells slightly and filling comes to the top. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. (Reserve remaining dulce de leche in decorating bag to decorate tops.)

Fit round or star tip (opening about 1/2 inch in diameter) into decorating bag. Spoon cream cheese frosting into bag; pipe frosting in circular motion on top of each cupcake. Pipe dulce de leche over cream cheese frosting in desired pattern. Garnish with hot fudge sauce and cashews. Store in refrigerator.