Vanilla cupcakes with a salted caramel icing

Method

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a muffin tray with paper or silicone cups.
2. Using an electric beater, beat the butter and white sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until creamy and well incorporated.
4. Mix milk and vanilla together in a jug. In a separate bowl sift the flour and baking powder together.
5. Using a large metal spoon, fold the milk mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with the flour mixture, until a smooth batter forms. Don’t over mix.
6. Divide batter equally between the paper or silicone cups (see tip). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Salted caramel icing

1. Place treacle sugar, golden syrup, butter, cream and 20 ml of the boiling water in a small saucepan. Heat over a low temperature and stir continuously until sugar, syrup and butter has melted and a smooth mixture has formed.
2. Bring sauce to a gentle boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes without a lid or until the mixture just starts to thicken. Don’t boil for too long, as the sauce will become too sticky. Remember that it will also firm up as it cools down, so keep warm (see tip).
3. Remove from heat, stir in salt, set aside and allow to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, gradually beat the warm caramel into the icing sugar using an electric beater. Add remaining boiling water and beat until creamy.
5. Spoon icing into a piping bag with a small nozzle shape of your choice and pipe icing onto each cupcake. Decorate to your preference with cupcake trimmings or edible flowers.

Serving suggestion

1. The salted caramel you make before beating it into the icing sugar is a divine toffee sauce over ice cream.

Tips

1. Don’t fill the paper or silicone cups to more than two thirds of their capacity.
2. If you have prepared the caramel sauce in advance, place the bowl of sauce in another bigger bowl, half filled with warm water, and stir through – the sauce will become runny again in a minute or two.
3. When making cupcakes, always allow them to cool completely before icing them.
4. Store cupcakes in an airtight container for no more than 2-3 days.