Beach-themed baking continues, since once again, almost everyone I know is taking, has taken, or is currently on a beach vacation. I feel like these treats need something else design-wise but I can’t figure out what. A mermaid tail? Shells? An oyster made of miniature vanilla wafers with a sugar pearl inside? Or perhaps my favorite, a teddy graham laying out wearing a bikini? Maybe next time.

Flavor-wise they’re a caramel almond creation; almond cupcakes with caramel frosting, convenient for the color of the sand.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 1 2/3 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

For the frosting

• 12 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• About 1/3 cup caramel sauce*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

*I used Smucker’s Caramel Ice Cream topping to save time but you can also make your own caramel sauce. Homemade caramel sauce is absolutely delicious.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cupcake tins with paper liners; my batch made 17 cupcakes.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, then add sugar and stir to combine; mixture will be grainy. Refrigerate for 1 minute, then remove and add egg, yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stir into the flour mixture until no lumps remain.

Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, scoop batter into tins and fill about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and place cupcakes on wire racks to cool completely.

To make frosting, beat butter and powdered sugar on low speed until the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Add caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat to combine completely. Using an offset spatula spread frosting on half of the top of each cupcake; tint the remaining frosting blue and fit a piping bag with a medium star tip; pipe “waves” onto each cupcake.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate if it’s really warm out, which it is in Pittsburgh today – 83 degrees right now.