Instructions

For the Brown Butter Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Line muffin pans with 12 paper liners. 
2. In a large bowl, beat (brown butter) butter, brown sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  I
4. n a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. 
5. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition; stir in caramel chips. 
6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full.  Bake for 16 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 
7. Cool in pans for 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. 
8. Pipe Frosting over cupcakes, add several pieces of caramel popcorn to the top of each cupcake.
   

For the Spicy Caramel Swirl Frosting:

1. Beat butter, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a large mixing bowl, just until combined.
2. Add vanilla, increase speed to medium high and beat until fluffy (about 3 minutes).
3. Add dulce de leche, use a spatula and cut in the caramel leaving streaks.
4. Transfer to a piping bag fitted a large tip ( your choice of design).
5. Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes.
6. Top with caramel corn.