Cookie Butter Cupcakes with Bourbon Vanilla Bean Buttercream Topped with Bourbon Caramel Corn

As a kid, I loved Halloween. And now that I'm all grown, not much has changed. I still dress up, I still eat candy, and I still make Halloween treats. But instead of trick-or-treating, I get to pass out candy to the adorable little ghosts and goblins.

I remember that house, trick-or-treating in my small neighborhood. You know which I'm referring to, there was always 'that house' in the neighborhood. The house with homemade treats instead of store bought candy. Most kids smiled and thanked the little old lady as she handed them her hand wrapped, hand made caramel popcorn balls, but I can imagine most kids returned home and threw away her hard work. Some kids just skipped 'that house.' Me? I never missed it and ate my special treat with glee.

I wish we stilled lived in a time where I could pass out homemade treats on Halloween to perfect strangers, but fear prevents good taste. Homemade treats are reserved for known ghosts and goblins only.

So there you have it, the reason I associate Caramel Corn with Halloween and the inspiration for my Halloween cupcake this year, Cookie Butter Cupcakes with Bourbon Vanilla Bean Buttercream Topped with Bourbon Caramel Corn. I knew I wanted to make salty sweet popcorn balls to top a cupcake but didn't want it to compliment the favors versus reproduce. Instead of a corn based or caramel based cupcake, I opted for a Cookie Butter cupcake and Vanilla Bean Bourbon Buttercream. "The pairing was a perfect balance of salty-sweet", says my number one cupcake tester.

Cookie Butter Cupcakes
preheat oven to 375 degrees

12.25 ounces flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup cookie butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup milk or cream

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
2. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup combine milk/cream and vanilla; set aside. 
3. In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, and cookie butter beat until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Using a wooden spoon alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to butter mixture, mixing after each addition just until combined. The mixture will be thick. 

Fill liners 3/4 full. Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean. Cool completely.

Bourbon Caramel Corn
adapted from Barns and Noodles

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 tbsp Bourbon
4 quarts popped corn

1. Pop 4 quarts of corn, salt to taste. Set aside in large bowl.
2. Over medium heat, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Stir just until sugar starts to melt.
3. Bring to boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until desired caramel color is achieved. 
4. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda, vanilla bean paste and bourbon. Be careful it will grow in size and spirt hot liquid.
5. Quickly pour over popcorn and stir well, be careful its hot!
6. Spread onto foil lined baking sheet and cool. (I didn't bother to put in oven)

Bourbon Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

2-3 tbsp whipping cream

2 tbsp Bourbon

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream softened butter, cookie butter, salt, and vanilla. Mix well.
2. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time alternating with liquids. Add more cream or powdered sugar to achieve desired consistency.

Fill pastry bag with large tip and frost cupcakes. Top with Bourbon Caramel Corn.