Servings
12Cook
30 minIf 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.
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