Spiced Caramel Latte Cupcakes
Baking is a meditative exercise for me. It is a chance to block out the world and focus on a task at hand.
More than this though, it’s a chance for gratitude. Baking is always made to share, so as I bake I’m reminded that there are good people in my life.
These cupcakes were a ‘thank you’ gift to colleagues who have helped me out and had my back in ways that go beyond what might be expected of a co-worker.
It was nice to hold that thought for an hour or two as I toiled away.
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
200g softened salted butter
200g castor sugar
4 eggs (size 6)
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g self-raising flour
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp freeze dried coffee
2 cups (500ml) butterscotch caramel sauce
2 tbsp ground ginger
Decoration
300g butter
500g icing sugar
spiced caramel sauce (from above)
1 block Whittaker’s Dark Salted Caramel chocolate
2 boxes of Pocky chocolate sticks
Method
Cupcake
Preheat oven to 170°C, & place 12 paper cases into a muffin tin
Using an electric beater, beat butter and sugar together until it is pale and fluffy
With beater on a low speed, add eggs one at a time, allowing each to beat in before adding the next, then add vanilla essence
Mix in flour until just combined
In a small bowl, mix together milk and coffee
In a jug mix together caramel sauce and ginger
Add milk and coffee mix and 1/4 cup of caramel sauce to batter and gently combine into a smooth batter.
Spoon mixture into the cases (approx. 1/3 full), pushing a small divot into the centre of each cupcake
drop a small amount of caramel sauce into the centre of each cupcake
spoon an extra tsp of batter onto the top of each cupcake
Bake for 20 mins, or until a skewer comes out clean & tops spring back
Take out of pan, and cool on a wire rack
Decoration
Beat the butter and half the icing sugar until combined.
Add the rest of the icing sugar and whisk vigorously with beater until pale and fluffy
Slow beater, and pour in 1 cup of spiced caramel sauce, and combine
Pipe buttercream onto cooled cupcakes
Carefully chop chocolate squares in half with a sharp knife
Top cupcakes with chopped chocolate and Pocky sticks
Drizzle a small amount of spiced caramel sauce over top.
Serve and enjoy!
