Samoa Cupcakes

Do you like the Samoa Girl Scout cookies?  Well, Cooking Classy has just the cupcake for you so you can enjoy the flavor year round.   A vanilla cupcake topped with a chocolate ganache, caramel buttercream and toasted coconut. Don’t tell the Girl Scouts, but I think these cupcakes are WAY better than a cookie!

Samoa Cupcakes

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup buttermilk

CARAMEL SAUCE

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp water
• 3 Tbsp salted butter
• ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp heavy cream (poured into the same cup so it can be added all at once)

CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

• ½ cup butter, at room temperature (I used ¼ cup unsalted ¼ cup salted)
• ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp caramel sauce
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

TOPPING

• 1 cup chocolate chips (I used ½ cup semi-sweet and ½ cup milk chocolate)
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 cup toasted coconut, cooled and slightly crushed into smaller pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds, set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together 1/3 cup butter and 3/4 granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl. Blend in vegetable oil. Add in eggs one at a time mixing just until blended after each addition and adding in vanilla with second egg.
4. Whisk together milk and buttermilk in liquid measuring cup. Working in three separate batches and beginning and ending with flour mixture, add 1/3 of the flour mixture followed by 1/2 of the milk mixture and mix just until combined after each addition.
5. Spoon batter into paper lined muffin cups filling each cup nearly 2/3 full (about 1/4 cup batter in each).
6. Bake in preheated oven 16 – 19 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and allow to cool in muffin tin several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Caramel Sauce:

1. Gather all of your ingredients and have them nearby ready to add to the mixture as needed.
2. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat sugar and water over moderately high heat whisking constantly to dissolve sugar.
3. Once mixture reaches a boil, stop whisking and allow mixture to boil until it reaches a dark amber color, carefully swirling pan occasionally. Once mixture reaches a dark amber color, immediately add butter and whisk until butter has melted then immediately remove from heat.
4. Wait 3 seconds then carefully pour in cream and immediately whisk to combine (it will bubble vigorously).
5. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Allow caramel to cool several minutes then pour into a glass jar to cool completely.

For the Caramel Buttercream Frosting:

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
2. Add powdered sugar and blend on low speed until mixture comes together. Add 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp completely cooled caramel sauce and vanilla and whip on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy (you can add another 1 Tbsp caramel sauce as needed to thin if desired).

To assemble the cupcakes:

1. Add chocolate chips and heavy cream to a small microwave safe bowl and heat mixture on 50% power in 20 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth and stirring well once it’s fully melted (about 30 seconds) to cool slightly.
2. Dip tops of cupcakes in melted chocolate mixture and allow excess to run off, the return upright to wire rack and allow chocolate to cool, about 10 – 20 minutes.
3. Pipe caramel frosting over tops then sprinkle with a spoonful of toasted coconut.
4. Drizzle tops with remaining chocolate and caramel sauce.
5. Serve while chocolate is melty or allow to set at room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.