INGREDIENTS

For The Cake

• 1 cup Local Hive Honey
• 1/2 cup salted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt*
• 1/2 cup half-and-half

For the Honey Swiss Meringue Buttercream
• 5 egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• pinch of kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Local Hive Honey

DIRECTIONS

For The Cake

1. Using a small sauce pan, heat 1 cup of Local Hive™ Honey over medium heat. Bring the honey to a boil and then reduce the heat, simmering for 4-5 minutes, or until the honey reaches a dark amber color. Immediately pour the honey into a heat safe container. Set aside to cool.

2. Preheat oven 325ºF. Line one and a half cupcake tins with liners, about 18 cups.

3. In a mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes. Slowly drizzle 1/2 cup of the caramelized honey into the mixing bowl. This process should take 2-3 minutes, as the honey should be added slowly. Next, slowly drizzle the oil into the bowl, mixing about 1-2 minutes.

4. Add eggs one at a time and scrape the bowl after each egg addition. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Spoon and level the flours for an accurate measurement.

6. Alternating between the dry ingredients and the half-and-half, add a third of the flour mix into the mixing bowl on low speed. Immediately follow with half of the half-and-half, followed by another third of the flour and the second half of the half-and-half. Finish with the remaining flour mixture. The mixer should be kept on low speed, so the flour and liquid don't splash out of the bowl. Scrape the bowl, making sure any dry ingredients trapped at the bottom are brought to the top and briefly mix one more time.

7. Fill each cupcake tin 3/4 full. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the cupcake tins promptly. Allow to cool on a wire wrack.

For the Honey Swiss Meringue Buttercream

1. Into the bowl of an electric mixer, add five egg whites and 1 cup sugar. Place the bowl over a sauce pan filled with two inches of simmering water. Stirring constantly, heat the eggs and sugar until there are no granules present, or until 160 degrees F. for food safety concerns.

2. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer using the whisk attachment, and mix on high for 10-15 minutes, or until the bowl is no longer hot to the touch and the meringue has reached stiff peaks.

3. Switch out the whisk attachment for the paddle attachment, and on medium speed, add 1 tablespoon of butter at a time into the bowl, waiting until each tablespoon of butter has adequately been mixed before adding the next. Repeat until all the butter has been added, letting it beat until the buttercream transforms into a light and fluffy consistency.

4. Add the vanilla, salt and Local Hive™ Honey (use the leftover caramelized honey) into the bowl and mix for another 30 seconds.

5. Decorate the cupcakes as desired.

*if using regular table salt, reduce to ¼ tsp