Chocolate Cupcakes with a Caramel Frosting

In cooking, it is fairly easy to decrease fat and calories by using reduced fat dairy ingredients, decreasing oil or butter amounts, and choosing leaner cuts of meat or poultry. With baking however, its all about science, chemistry and equations. One ingredient is off, and you end up with either a doughy mess or a dry, hard block. In baking, there is a purpose to every ingredient. Here is a low-fat version of a cupcake. It miraculously stays moist and chocolaty without losing any flavor. You could also bake this in a greased
9x13 or 2- 9 inch cake pans for 25-30 minutes.

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (7 1/2 ounces)

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting:

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar (for a richer caramel flavor, use dark not light)

2 to 3 tablespoons fat-free or regular milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a muffin pan or paper liners lightly.
2. Combine water and cocoa in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring well with a whisk and then remove from heat. Cool slightly.
3. Place granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons butter, and vanilla in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Lightly spoon 1 2/3 cups flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 2/3 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and cocoa mixture alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Divide batter into prepared muffin or cupcake liners. You will fill each liner about 2/3 cull. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
5. To prepare frosting, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons milk; cook 1 minute or until sugar melts. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Combine butter mixture and 2 teaspoons vanilla in a large bowl. Gradually add powdered sugar; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until spreading consistency.
6. Spread the frosting on each cupcake. It will be about 1 1/2 tablespoons of frosting per cupcake.