Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes

• FOR THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES:
• 1 box (15 1/4 Oz. Size) Devil's Food Cake Mix
• 1 package (3/4 Oz. Size) Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
• 1/2 cups Brewed Coffee, Cooled
• 1/2 cups Milk
• 1/4 cups Vegetable Oil
• 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
• 4 Large Eggs
• FOR THE ESPRESSO BUTTERCREAM:
• 1/2 cups Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 1/2 cups Salted Butter, Softened
• 2 teaspoons Pure Coffee Extract
• 2 pounds Powdered Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Milk, Or More As Needed
• 2 To 3 Squeezes Chocolate Brown Soft Gel Paste Food Color
• 2 To 3 Squeezes Warm Brown Soft Gel Paste Food Color
• Caramel Sauce, For Drizzling On Top

1. For the chocolate cupcakes:
2. Heat oven to 350u0b0F. Take a cupcake/muffin tin and place cupcake liners in it. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, add all of the cupcake ingredients. Mix with a hand mixer until combined, and then for a few more seconds. Be careful not to over-mix the batter.
4. Using a large cookie scoop that is 3 tablespoons in size, scoop batter into each cupcake liner.
5. Bake cupcakes for about 15 to 17 minutes (take a toothpick and stick it into the center of a couple cupcakes and if it comes out clean, your cupcakes are done). Carefully remove the cupcakes and place them on a cooling rack.
6. For the espresso buttercream:
7. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add softened butter and mix. Add coffee extract and mix until well blended. Next, add powdered sugar (in 2 to 3 batches, you don't want to make a mess) and mix thoroughly.
8. Once you have mixed all of the powdered sugarr, start adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time and keep mixing. Mix buttercream frosting for a full 5 to 6 minutes.
9. Add gel paste food color to the frosting and mix again until thoroughly mixed.
10. I like to make the buttercream frosting a day or two ahead. I store it in the fridge. If it's been refrigerated, let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before trying to decorate your cupcakes. Sometimes, if needed, I will add a little bit of water and mix with a spatula to make it thinner for frosting cupcakes.
11. Take a piping bag and tip and decorate your cupcakes! Drizzle caramel on top as well!

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Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/desserts/caramel-macchiato-cupcakes-2/ (may not work)