Salted Caramel Cupcake Recipe

Directions

Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

1. Using paddle attachment on your stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat butter until pale white and creamy (approximately 3-5 minutes).

2. Meanwhile, sift soft icing sugar mixture into another bowl.

3. Add 5 cups of sifted icing sugar, turn the mixer on low and gradually increase to med-high speed.

4. Add salt, vanilla extract and milk. Beat until combined.

5. Continue to add icing sugar 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency and sweetness is reached. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing and no lumps form.

6. Beat for another 2 minutes. Frosting will become light and fluffy.

7. Add a few drops of food colouring of your choice if desired, beat until thoroughly combined.

Chocolate Cupcake

1. Preheat oven. Line your cupcake pans with cupcake papers.

2. Sift all dry ingredients directly into mixing bowl.

3. Weigh out butter, eggs and milk. Ensure they are all at room temperature.

4. Use the paddle attachment. Add all the butter, vanilla extract and milk into the mixing bowl with dry ingredients then turn mixer on low and gradually build up speed to med-high. Mix for 40 seconds.

5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and paddle attachment. Resume mixing on low speed.

6. Add eggs one at a time. Turn speed up to med-high. Mix for a further 30 seconds.

7. Ensure batter is smooth, if necessary scrape down the bowl and beat extra 10 seconds.

8. Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full.

9. Bake for 17-20 minutes until a cake skewer comes out clean.

Salted Caramel Filling

1. Combine the water, sugar, and light corn syrup in a deep saucepan and cook over medium heat

2. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the sugar is incorporated.

3. Cover the saucepan and let it simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes.

4. After 3 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring it to a boil.

5. Do not stir but carefully and gently shake the saucepan so the caramel doesn’t burn

6. Continue to cook until the caramel turns an even dark amber colour then remove from the heat and let stand for about 30 seconds.

7. Wearing oven mitts, very carefully pour the heavy cream into the mixture. The mixture will start to bubble, ensure that you are standing away from the pan and careful not get burnt.

8. Stir the mixture, again being careful. Add the butter, lemon juice, and salt. Stir until combined.

9. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl and let it cool, stirring occasionally

10. Once cooled store in an airtight jar at room temperature or in the fridge.

Salted Caramel Frosting

1. To make Salted Caramel add 1/4 cup of Salted Caramel Filling to a batch of Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and beat until thoroughly incorporated. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt if desired.

Cupcake Construction

1. Using an apple corer or a sharp knife, core a hole in the middle of the cupcake

2. Fill hole with a 2 teaspoons (or desired amount) of Salted Caramel Filling.

3. Using a French tip nozzle in a piping bag, fill with Salted Caramel Frosting and pipe a dome on the cupcake and another directly on top.

4. Fill a disposable piping bag with Salted Caramel Filling, cut a small hole at the tip of the piping bag and drizzle all over the cupcakes by going back and forth.

5. Garnish with pink sea salt flakes.