Peaches and Creme Mini Cupcakes

Cupcakes:

• 1 box Duncan Hines® French Vanilla Cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1/3 cup toffee bits
• 1 teaspoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 can of Duncan Hines® frosting creations™ Frosting Starter
• 1 packet of Duncan Hines® frosting creations™ Peaches and Creme Flavor Mix

Almond Brittle:

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• vegetable oil, for greasing
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Cupcakes:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour mini muffin tins or line with mini cupcake liners.
2. Prepare cake batter as directed on package and divide batter in half into two bowls.
3. In one bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract and stir well.
4. Toss toffee bits with flour and gently fold into to second bowl of batter.
5. Pour almond batter into half of prepared tins. Pour toffee batter into remaining prepared tins. Bake cupcakes10-12 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely.
6. Pour 1 packet of Duncan Hines® frosting creations™ Peaches and Creme Flavor Mix into 1 can of Duncan Hines® frosting creations™ Frosting Starter. Stir until evenly blended.
7. Frost all cupcakes. Sprinkle frosted toffee cupcakes with toffee bits. Garnish almond cupcakes with a shard of almond brittle.

8. Almond Brittle:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
2. Lightly grease another baking sheet with vegetable oil (or line with a silicon baking mat) and set aside.
3. In a medium sized pot, combine the sugar and the water. Let the sugar cook over medium-high heat until the sugar comes to a boil. Do not stir the sugar. Watch the sugar as it slowly changes color to a dark amber color. Do not leave the stove, the color change happens quickly.
4. Once the sugar reaches the desired color, immediately remove from the heat and quickly sprinkle in the salt and stir in the almonds.
5. Pour the sugar and almond mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and quickly spread it into a thin, even layer.
6. Let the brittle cool completely and then break up into small pieces. Use right away or store in an airtight container.