salted caramel

LOLA’s Salted Caramel cupcake is our take on a traditional French treat. For this salty-sweet creation, we have specially chosen fleur de sel, which is hand-harvested sea salt collected along the coast of Brittany in France.

• 250 g/2 cups plain/ all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 125 g/1 stick butter, cubed and soft
• 185 g/1 scant cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 150 ml/⅔ cup buttermilk
• 12 salted caramel chocolates
• fleur de sel, to sprinkle

SALTED CARAMEL FILLING

• 180 g/1 scant cup (caster) sugar
• 90 g/6 tablespoons butter
• 120 ml/½ cup double/ heavy cream

SALTED CARAMEL frosting

• 250 g/2 sticks butter, cubed and soft
• 3 tablespoons storebought toffee fudge/butterscotch caramel sauce
• 750 g/5½ cups icing/ confectioners’ sugar
• 75 ml/⅓ cup milk
• a pinch of salt

muffin pan lined with 12 muffin cases

MAKES 12

Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F/ Gas 4.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk in alternate batches and beat on low speed until combined.

Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

Salted Caramel Filling

Scatter the sugar evenly over the base of a heavy-based saucepan and set over medium heat. Do not stir. When it has melted and starts to turn an amber colour, remove from the heat and add the butter. Add the cream and whisk thoroughly with a balloon whisk until well mixed. Let cool.

salted caramel frosting

While the cupcakes are cooling down, make the salted caramel frosting.

Put the butter in a bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until very soft and smooth. Add the toffee fudge/ butterscotch caramel sauce, followed by the sugar. Beat on low speed, then gradually add the milk until well combined. Turn the speed up to high, add the salt and beat for 1 minute.

When the cupcakes are completely cold, make a hole in the middle by scooping out a neat portion of the cake with a teaspoon. Fill the hole with a dollop of the salted caramel filling. Put the portion of cake back on top of the filling.

Spread the frosting over the cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle/tip and pipe it on top of the cupcakes. Top with a salted caramel chocolate and sprinkle a little fleur de sel over it.

Note

You can find fleur de sel at well-stocked supermarkets and gourmet stores.