Bailey’s Chocolate & Caramel Irish Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup butter melted (butter not margarine)
• 24 servings mrs richardson's butterscotch caramel sauce 
• 3.5 ounces individually wrapped caramels ( 10-12 candies unwrapped)
• 10 ounces chocolate finely chopped
• 3  eggs 
• 1  chocolate cake mix dark
• 0.3 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 0.3 cup baileys irish cream 
• 0.7 cup milk 
• 8 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 cup shortening 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• mixing bowl
• measuring cup

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°Using a large mixing bowl, add cake mix, eggs, butter, Bailey's and milk and mix on low until combined. Then mix on high for 2 minutes.
2. Pour batter into paper lined cupcake pans.
3. Bake for 20 min.Cool completely.
4. Place chopped chocolate in medium bowl and set aside.Using a medium sauce pan, heat whipping cream and caramels over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the caramels have melted completely.
5. Pour caramel cream over chocolate and stir until melted.In large mixing bowl, cream shortening and vanilla for 2-4 minutes.
6. Add in powder sugar, one cup at a time
7. Combine Bailey's with cream in measuring cup and slowing add to sugar mixture, using more cream for a creamy consistency, use less milk for a stiff consistency.Using a sharp knife, cut out a cone shaped section of the cupcake and set it aside setting next to each cupcake.Fill Cupcake holes with ganache, and place cake back over hole.Top cupcakes with buttercream.
8. Garnish with remaining ganache and caramel syrup.