Saffron Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting and Red Wine Caramel
Indian-inspired cupcakes spiced with saffron, cream cheese frosting and a red wine caramel sauce
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time22 minutesmins
Total Time37 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: cupcakes
Servings: 24
Calories: 288kcal
Author: Puja
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
¾cupbutter1 1/2 sticks
1 ½cupssugar
2eggs
1 ½tspvanilla extract
1tspamaretto
2 ½tspbaking powder
¼tspsalt
2 ½cupsall purpose flour
¼tspsaffron
1 ¼cupsmilk
For the Frosting
2 8ozpackages of cream cheese
¼cupbutter at room temperature
1 ¾cuppowdered sugar
2tspvanilla
pinchof saffron
For the Red Wine Caramel
1cupsugar
2tbspwater
¼cupred wineanything you like to drink
Instructions
For the Cupcakes Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Line 2 cupcake pans with paper liners (This recipe should make 21 to 24 cupcakes)
Heat 1/4 cup of the milk to a little warmer than lukewarm (doesn’t have to be any particular temperature just has to be warm) and add the saffron. Let soak while you prep the rest of the batter.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter (Preferably with an electric beater or stand mixer. Unfortunately, my mixer broke and I tried to do this with a hand whisk. Needless to say, my arm hurt and I didn’t get very far. I ended up using my immersion blender. It worked surprisingly well!)
Add sugar and beat until creamy and well mixed.
Add the eggs one at a time and beat into the butter and sugar mixture.
Add in the vanilla, amaretto, milk and saffron milk.
Mix in the flour mixture. Beat for about 30 to 60 seconds, until well blended.
Pour the batter into each section of the cupcake pan, filling them about 2/3 way full.
Bake for about 18 to 22 minutes. Test by inserting a toothpick down the middle of a cupcake. It’s done if it comes out clean.
Instructions For the Frosting
Beat together cream cheese and butter until creamy.
Add the powdered sugar in batches and whisk in until well blended.
Add in the vanilla and saffron.
Instructions For the Red Wine Caramel
In an heavy bottomed pot, mix the water and sugar.
Let cook over medium heat until the mixture turns golden brown. Do not stir. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add in the wine and stir. It will foam up but don’t worry about this. Just carefully stir through it.
If you have some crystals, stir till they dissolve. Otherwise, turn off heat. Let cool for a couple minutes and drizzle over the cupcakes.
Finishing Up
Frost the cupcakes with the cream cheese frosting and pour a spoonful of red wine caramel over. Sprinkle with a little flaky salt, if you like salted caramel.
Notes
Recipe is adapted from Amy Sedaris’s Vanilla Cupcakes in her book I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence.