Have you ever attended a progressive dinner party? It’s where a bunch of friends get together and each one creates a dish to complete the meal. The fun thing about it is that each dish is eaten at the creators home. So you drive from house to house until you’ve completed a meal. Sounds like fun, right? Well today I’ve teamed up with 4 other bloggers to bring to you an online progressive dinner! I was in charge of creating the dessert for our meal and I made Salted Caramel Mocha Cupcakes.
Our progressive dinner features La Romanella and Ambiance products found at Smart & Final. Yesterday I went shopping for a bag of Ambiance coffee to create my mocha cupcakes. I couldn’t decide between the French Vanilla or Hazelnut Ambiance coffee, but decided to go with the French Vanilla this time.
Now before I get to the recipe I think you all know how much I love semi-homemade recipes, right? Well this is a recipe I had no idea if it would work. I searched google to see if anyone has made mocha cupcakes using a cake mix just so I knew it could be done, but of course every recipe I found was completely from scratch. So I had just trust my idea and try it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it worked and far exceeded my expectations. This mocha cupcake recipe is SO easy to make! I used a dark chocolate cake mix and made a salted caramel frosting to go with it.
Mocha Cupcake Recipe:
1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Cake Mix
1 cup Ambiance coffee; strong brewed
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
Preheat oven to 325 and fill cupcake pan with liners. Begin by brewing the coffee double strength, then allow it to cool before adding to the mix. Once the coffee has cooled combine all ingredients in a large bowl. The coffee is replacing the 1 cup of water the cake mix calls for. Fill liners 2/3 way full; bake for 20 minutes.
Salted Caramel Frosting Recipe:
Adapted from this recipe
3/4 cup unsalted butter; softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup caramel sauce
1 tsp sea salt
Beat softened butter until fluffy (about 2 minutes). Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until fully incorporated. Turn mixer off then add in caramel sauce and sea salt, mix for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Top with extra caramel sauce and sea salt if desired.
These mocha cupcakes with salted caramel frosting were a big hit! I will definitely be making them again soon.
Beverly {Flamingo Toes}
YUM!!! That is my fav Starbucks drink – I’d love to have the flavors in a cupcake! I don’t see the Frosting Recipe though – am I missing it?
Crystal
Yikes! Half my post is missing..let me retype it. :)
Lyuba @willcookforsmiles
AWESOME! Beautiful shot and the cupcakes sound amazing!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
Those look incredible!
Bonnie and Trish @ Uncommon
Stop it!!! Looks amazing and coffee…sweet!!! ;)
Jessica
this recipe sounds DELICIOUS! Just wondering about the caramel sauce, it just says 1/2. can you help me? Thanks!
Dawn
These look so Amazing! I love this drink and I know I would love these cupcakes!
Jocelyn @ BruCrew Life
Mocha cupcakes and salted caramel frosting…you are speaking my language now!!! Oh how I wish I had one of those to snack on right now:-)
Sara @ CleverPinkPirate.com
These look just amazing, definitely a great end to the Progressive Dinner!
Brandi
Oh my goodness. Seriously, these cupcakes are blowing my mind! LOL! Yummy! And your pics are delicious, too!
tanya
What a combination! Geez, that frosting looks to die for! I love progressive dinners!
Vanessa
Yum! I love anything mocha…the whole cupcake looks devine. This would be dangerous to make in my house
Theresa
Chocolate & salted caramel hello recipe, this is a rainy day fix! Yum!!
Dawn
YUM! I’m kind of obsessed with all things salted caramel lately! Can’t wait to try these. :)
Jenn
I have only heard about progressive dinner parties from Desperate Housewives!! Sounds like fun. These cupcakes look fabulous!
amy
These sound SO delicious! Salted caramel mocha is my Starbucks favorite! I’d be thrilled if you’d share these here:
https://www.oneartsymama.com/2012/10/shine-on-fridays-49.html
Mariel
Sounds delicious and I love your photos! I would love to have you stop by ‘Or so she says…’ today and share some of your great ideas with my readers! The ‘Your Great Idea’ link party runs every Sat through Tuesday. Hope to see you there! http://www.oneshetwoshe.com
Melinda @ Mom on the Make
Oh my goodness, these have my name written all over them. The combo of salt, mocha and caramel sounds divine. On my “to make” list for sure. Thanks so much for sharing. Have a great weekend. :)
Alicia
These look so good, especially the salted caramel frosting! Yum!
Kathryn Griffin
Holy flip! These look soooo good! Thank you for sharing. Visiting from Nifty Thrifty. Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House. https://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com/2012/10/make-it-pretty-monday-week-19.html Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Christy
YUMMY! Chocolate, coffee, and caramel. Yes please! I’m pinning it! I co-host a weekly link up, tip-toe thru tuesday. It starts Tuesday morning and runs thru Thursday. I would love for you to link this up, if you have a chance. Have a great week!
http://www.christyscuties.blogspot.com
Dee
Oh my!!! Love this! I would love if you shared this on the CSI Project this week. The challenge is fall food and this is perfect. You can come by everyday for a new tutorial/recipe and then on Wednesday night you can link up. You just might win the challenge and there is a giveaway.
http://www.thecsiproject.com
Hope to see you there!!!
heidi @ a week from thursday
I can’t wait to make these. And they’re made from boxed cake mix. The salted caramel mocha is my favorite Starbucks drink. I wait for it every year. Thanks for the recipe.
Holly Lefevre
I am so glad you brought the dessert! Love this flavor combination!
Johnnie
These sound and look great!
Dalia
How delicious does this look, oh my word. I need to make these! The party looks amazingly delicious.
Shannon
Oh, my yummy . . . these just sound terrific! Coffee in the cake mix, caramel sauce in the frosting . . . I’m going to feel so pro!
katie
Oh my these cupcakes look to die for!
Zorrie
These look amazingly delicious!!! And your recipe seems super easy too! I will have to try these out soon!! :)
Zorrie
http://www.sugarandchic.com
Crystal
Thanks, Zorrie. This recipe is so easy and you can adjust the coffee flavor to your liking. Enjoy!
Melissa Swenson
These look so good! I’ve never made any kind of cupcake completely from scratch but I’ve been wanting to try. I am obsessed with salted caramel mochas so I wonder if I can pull these off! I found your blog via the Homework link up & I’m your newest follower :)
https://adayinthelifeofamomandawife.blogspot.com/2012/10/diy-painted-halloween-bottle.html
Natosha Zachary
These look so yummy! I pinned them!
Peggy
did you say pumpkin, coffee & caramel all wrapped up in a cupcake? yummmy!!! I love this. Please link it to my linky party & anything else you have to share. It just went live a little early :) Thanks, Peggy. https://diycraftyprojects.com/2012/10/whatcha-work-up-wednesday-5-linky-parties-are-back.html
Victoria
I made these for Christmas and they were the biggest hit ever. Everyone raved about them and the frosting was the best thing ever. I will be making these every year now. Thank you :)