If you like peanut butter then these are for you.  The frosting on these cakes is by far my favourite, so delicious, and I could eat a few in one sitting.

Peanut & Caramel Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

For the cupcakes

75g unsalted butter, softened

50g crunchy peanut butter

50g smooth peanut butter

175g caster sugar

75ml soured cream

75ml milk

3 medium eggs

175g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

For the peanut caramel

50g caster sugar

1 tbsp water

115g double cream

40g smooth peanut butter

25g roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

For the peanut buttercream

200g smooth peanut butter

150g unsalted butter

135g icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

To make the peanut caramel, place the sugar and water in a saucepan over a low heat and, without boiling, heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Once the sugar has melted and without stirring (if you stir the sugar will crystalize) bring to a medium heat and cook until a golden brown caramel colour.  This can take up to 10 minutes, be patient.  Carefully add the cream, it might spit and splutter.  Stir in the chopped roasted peanuts.  Take off the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl, then leave to cool and set in the fridge.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

In a mixing bowl and with an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter, peanut butters and sugar until well combined, then beat in the eggs.

Beat in the milk and soured cream.  Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir until just combined.

Spoon half the mixture into the paper cases.  Form 12 (slightly larger than a hazelnut) size balls from the peanut caramel and drop one into each of the 12 cupcakes.  Make sure to save some of the caramel for decorations later.  Top with the remaining cake mixture and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until risen and golden brown.  Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  At this stage the cupcakes may develop a hole on the top.  This is normal and will be filled later.

For the peanut buttercream, whisk the butter with an electric hand whisk until pale and smooth.  Add the peanut butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until light and fluffy.

Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle and first fill any hole that may have developed, then pipe a swirl on top of each cake.  Slightly reheat the remaining peanut caramel (I give it 30 seconds in the microwave) and drizzle over the top of the cakes.