Deliciously Savory Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

Ingredients

• Cupcakes:
• Grated 4 ounces of savory fully-cooked luncheon meat, like SPAM®,
• Embrace a 15.25-ounce package of devil's food cake mix,
• Combine 1 and one-third cups of water,
• Add a cup of creamy mayonnaise,
• Crack in 2 large eggs to the mix.
• Frosting:
• Melt half a cup of butter until smooth,
• Sweeten it with 1 cup of rich dark brown sugar,
• Pour in one-third cup of luxurious heavy whipping cream,
• Season with a pinch of salt,
• Finish with a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar, about 2 cups or to your liking.

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and either grease 24 muffin cups or line them with paper liners for easy cleanup later on.

Step 2

In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, begin by cooking and stirring grated luncheon meat until it turns beautifully browned and crispy, which should take around 5 to 7 minutes. Once done, transfer the meat to a plate lined with paper towels to allow it to cool down completely.

Step 3

Next, in a spacious bowl, combine the cake mix, water, mayonnaise, and eggs using an electric mixer on low speed until the ingredients are just mixed. Gradually increase the speed to medium and beat the mixture until it turns smooth, which typically takes about 2 minutes. Gently fold in about two-thirds of the fried luncheon meat into the cake batter before spooning the batter into the prepared muffin cups.

Step 4

Place the muffin cups in the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, usually around 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans set on wire racks until they reach room temperature.

Step 5

While the cupcakes are cooling, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add brown sugar and heavy cream. Stir the mixture until the sugar completely dissolves. Let it come to a simmer and cook the sauce without stirring for about a minute. Remove the saucepan from heat, stir in some salt, and allow the sauce to cool down.

Step 6

Transfer the sauce to a roomy bowl and gradually beat in confectioners' sugar, one cup at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. Spread this delicious frosting onto the cooled cupcakes and top them off with the remaining fried luncheon meat for an extra savory touch.