Salted Caramel Cupcakes

A beautiful malted caramel cupcake, with a salted caramel sauce, French buttercream and whipped cream hidden center.

This recipe is based off my showstopping Salted Caramel Peanut Cake – you can find it here.

If you make this recipe, please share it with me by tagging me on Instagram @adventureswithsugar or on Facebook at Adventures with Sugar. Please also leave a comment below to let me know how you got on with the recipe.

CARAMEL CUPCAKES (makes 12)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 105g salted butter
• 100g muscovado sugar
• 30g golden syrup
• 125g self-raising flour
• 25g malted milk powder (horlicks)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 3/4 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 3 large eggs
• 30ml milk

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Place the butter, oil, muscovado sugar, golden syrup, self-raising flour, malted milk powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
3. In a separate jug, add in the eggs, milk and vanilla essence. Whisk by hand for about 30 seconds.
4. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix for about 45 seconds.
5. Then add in the remaining wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until the batter comes together and becomes voluminous, about 1 minute more. Do not worry if the batter looks slightly curdled.
6. Divide equally between the 12 cases and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

• 100g sugar
• 60ml cream, room temperature
• 30g butter, room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon flaked sea salt

METHOD

1. Place the sugar in a large pot so that the sugar just covers the base of the pot (If the sugar feels too much, I suggest making the caramel in two batches).
2. Heat the sugar until it just turns a deep amber colour. You want it to take on some flavour, so do not let it be too light.
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.
4. Then slowly pour in the cream, constantly whisking all the time.
5. Return to the stove for just 20 more seconds and then remove.
6. Crush the flaked salt and add it to the caramel sauce.
7. Set aside to cool.

WHIPPED CREAM FILLING

• 120ml whipping cream.
• 75g salted caramel sauce (See above).

METHOD

1. Whip the cream to soft peaks.
2. Then add in the caramel sauce and whip until stiff peaks form.

CARAMEL FRENCH BUTTERCREAM

• 80g brown sugar
• 35ml water
• 4 large egg yolks
• 185g salted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 160g Dulce de leche/ caramel treat

METHOD

1. Combine sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat while stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil.
2. In the meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a stand-mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and beat until thick and foamy.
3. When the sugar syrup reaches 116 celcius, remove it from the heat. Slowly stream it into the egg yolks, by pouring it down the side of your mixer.
4. Continue mixing until the bottom of the bowl is cool to the touch and the yolk mixture has cooled to room temperature.
5. Add in butter one cube at a time allowing each piece to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla. Continue mixing until buttercream is smooth and creamy. (About 5-6 minutes).
6. Add in the dulce de leche/caramel treat and continue to mix until smooth and creamy.

TO ASSEMBLE

1. Make a hole in the center of the cupcake, stopping just before you reach the bottom.
2. Pipe some caramel whipped cream into the cupcake, leaving some space at the top for caramel sauce.
3. Pipe a swirl of buttercream around the cupcake to create a dam.
4. Fill the dam with a pool of caramel sauce (on top of the whipped cream).
5. Repeat for all 12 cupcakes.