Yield: 25 cupcakes

Salted Caramel Apple Spice Tea Cakes with a Surprise Center & Salted Caramel Frosting

Salted Caramel Apple Spice Tea Cakes with a Surprise Center & Salted Caramel Frosting

Ingredients

For Tea Concentrate:

  • 1 cup water
  • 5 Salted Caramel Black Tea bags (*I used Bigelow)
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar

For Cake:

  • 1 (16.5 oz.) box Moist Spice Cake mix (*I used Duncan Hines)
  • 1 (3.4 oz.) box instant butterscotch pudding mix
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 1/3 cup melted butter, do not sub margarine
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated (can use two if not too big)
  • 25 Rolos candies, (unwrapped)

For Frosting:

  • 1 - 2 cans Salted Caramel Frosting (*I used Duncan Hines)
  • 13 Rolos Candies, unwrapped and sliced in half
  • kosher salt
  • paper cupcake liners

Instructions

  • Make Tea Concentrate:
  • Heat water to boiling in microwave, remove, add tea bags, cover and steep for 25 minutes. Remove tea bags squeezing out excess water from bags using back of spoon, stir in dark brown sugar until dissolved, let cool down, then chill.
  • For Cake:
  • Preheat oven to 325º F.
  • In large mixer bowl, add cake mix, pudding mix, chilled tea concentrate, melted butter, and eggs. Blend on low until mixed, then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Scrape paddle, sides and bottom of bowl, beat again briefly to make sure everything is incorporated.
  • Fold in peeled and grated apple.
  • Place 1 Tbl. of batter into bottom of cupcake papers in muffin pan. Top with a Rolo candy, add 1/8 cup more batter to cover candy. (You will get 25 cupcakes.)
  • Pop into oven and bake for 25 - 27 minutes or until cakes spring back when gently touched on top in the center.
  • Cool for 5 minutes in the pans. Remove to cool completely on baking racks.
  • When cool, frost tops, top with a Rolo candy half, and sprinkle nicely with kosher salt.
  • *Tip: Since this makes 25 cakes, bake one first to know what your exact time is. Then bake the rest quickly and easily with minimal checking for doneness.

    • Notes

    *Tea Concentrate, eggs and butter amounts are in accordance to the amounts needed for Duncan Hines Brand cake mix.