#47: Savory Mac 'n Cheese Cupcakes

This isn't literally a cupcake with mac 'n cheese inside...but mac 'n cheese baked in cupcake tins. I saw Giada make this recipe on one of her shows and I decided to make this as an hors doeuvre for a new years eve party. these were definitely best hot out of the oven. i think i could have used more gooey cheese but i liked the crispiness of the cupcake crust and the panko breadcrumbs sprinkled on top. i also added some broccoli for color and added some cut up bacon as well. this is a really fun idea and a great canvas to be creative with different ingredients in this cupcake.

#46: Bi-Rite Inspired Salted Caramel Cupcakes

ever since the 7x7 top 100 foods to eat list was published, i've been wanting to go to bi-rite to try their oh so popular ice cream. i hadn't managed to make it to bi-rite until November. i'll admit, i was a bit underwhelmed by the casual store front...but perhaps that adds to the appeal of the neighborhood friendly ice cream shop. i tried the salted caramel and the seasonal pumpkin ice cream in a cup...absolutely delicious and a surprisingly good flavor combination. i finally understood the hype of the salted caramel ice cream.

since my trip to bi-rite, i've been eager to make a salted caramel cupcake. i stumbled upon a blog with a great looking recipe. i decided to take a stab at making the cupcake with a couple birthdays coming up (annaliese & loan). these cupcakes were quite time intensive but definitely worth it. caramel is pretty difficult to work with...but worth it. i made the candied caramel garnish the night before and let them cool overnight. the next day i baked the cupcakes (pretty standard cupcake, but used brown sugar). i also made a creamy salted caramel filling to spoon inside the cupcakes. lastly, i made a salted caramel buttercream to top off the cupcakes. many components to this cupcake...but a great recipe.