Chocolate and caramel cupcakes: a recipe from Laura's London
The perfect pairing of caramel and delectable rich chocolate, these cupcakes will be the perfect sweet treat for any day.
Ingredients (makes 12 cupcakes)
200g Organic Self Raising Flour
2 Organic eggs
200g Organic Light Muscovado Sugar
200g Dark Chocolate (at least 70%)
2 tbsp Organic cocoa powder
5 tbsp Buttermilk
Crunchy Caramel to decorate
For the Caramel Buttercream
345g Butter
750g icing sugar
4 tbsp caramel
Cake and dessert bars in London
Method
Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3.
Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake or muffin cases.
Break the chocolate into small pieces into a medium based pan, cut the butter into pieces and put in with the chocolate, warm through on a low heat until everything is melted.
Whilst these are melting, mix together with your hands the light muscovado sugar, the cocoa powder and the sifted self raising flour. Try and break down any lumps in the bowl from the sugar.
In a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk and the eggs.
Now combine the butter and chocolate mixture and the egg and buttermilk into the bowl with the flour, sugar and cocoa powder. Stir together until everything is well blended, you will have a relatively runny consistency. and pour into the cupcake cases and bake in the oven at 160c fan for 20 minutes until the sponge is light and springy.
Once cooked take out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.
Whilst these are baking make the caramel for the buttercream and the decorations - heat a frying pan on high heat, pour in around 50g caster sugar, the sugar will disintegrate and turn into delicious caramel.
For the caramel buttercream
Cream together butter and icing sugar and a tablespoon of your homemade caramel.
For the caramel decorations
Use the same method but this time wait until the caramel is thick and gooey, with a spoon drip the caramel onto a square of greased baking parchment making a cage shape with the caramel. It will set instantly.
Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes and then decorate with your homemade caramel decorations. Fabulous!
Laura Timson is the founder of online artisan bakery Laura's London. Follow her on Instagram @lauras_london
