The popularity of cupcakes, since their meteoric rise to stardom, has not waned. While Pinterest has thousands upon thousands of boards dedicated to these individual portion sized cakes. And if you type cupcake recipes into the browser on your computer/phone/tablet you will find endless recipes, for every type of cupcake you could ever want. Or so I thought! While there are recipes for Caramac cupcakes, there aren’t any Caramac and chocolate combinations. Resulting in the creation of these Caramac Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes.
What Is Caramac?
Caramac in itself is a lightly caramel flavoured white chocolate. While it is completely delicious, it tends to be rather sweet. Combining Caramac frosting with a dark chocolate cupcake balances both flavours out. Similarly, with the drizzle. And the bitter dark chocolate is enhanced by the sweet caramel from the Caramac. Resultying in a perfect flavour combination.
Delicious and very more-ish. So, could you stop at one?
Pretty, individual portions of caramel and chocolate in a cake. These cupcakes are elegant enough to be served for dessert, or alternatively, handed around at a party.
Recipe: Caramac Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes make 18
For the cupcakes:
175g/6oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature
1/8tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon
175g/6oz Caster Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey
3 Large Ree Range Eggs
150g/5.5oz Plain White Flour
1.5tsp Baking Powder
30g/2.2oz Cocoa Powder – I use Callebaut
3tbsp Milk – whole or semi-skimmed
For the frosting:
275g/10oz Icing Sugar
125g/5oz Unsalted Butter at room temperature
1/4tsp Sea Salt Flakes
2tbsp Very Hot Water from a recently boiled kettle
110g Packet Caramac Buttons
1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
For the drizzle:
110g Packet Caramac Buttons
100g/4oz Good Quality Dark Chocolate minimum 70% cocoa solids – choppedinto small chunks
Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan, gas mark 3, 325F.
Making The Chocolate Cupcake Batter
You will need two, deep, 12 hole cupcake/muffin tins. Line one tin completely with cupcake cases and the central 6 holes in the other with cupcake cases.
- First of all, in a large bowl add butter, caster sugar and sea salt. Whisk together until pale and creamy.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Then add the milk.
- Whisk together until just combined. The chocolate colour should be uniform and no streaks or lumps present.
- Scoop a heaped dessert spoonful of cake batter into each cupcake case. Do not worry if the batter doesn’t fill 18 cupcake cases. Mine stretched to 17. Most importantly, each cupcake case should contain equal amounts of cake batter.
Baking The Caramac Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes
- Place both cupcake tins, evenly spaced, into the preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- The cupcakes are baked when they are risen and spring back from a light touch.
- As soon as the cupcakes are baked, remove from the oven.
- Leave the cupcakes to cool for a couple of minutes in the tin, then remove and place them on to a cooling rack to fully cool.
- While the cupcakes are cooling, make the buttercream.
Making And Piping The Caramac Frosting
- Place the Caramac buttons into a heatproof, microwaveable bowl. Heat for 20 second bursts, stirring between each one. Remove from the microwave once the Caramac is completely melted.
- Into a large bowl add the softened butter, salt and icing sugar. Whisk, adding the hot water whilst the beaters are whisking. Continue whisking until the buttercream is combined, yet still thick in consistency.
- Finally, add the melted Caramac to the bowl and keep whisking until the mixture is smooth, light and creamy.
- Into a large piping base fitted with a 1cm round nozzle tip ( I use Wilton number 12 carded round tip ), add the whipped Caramac buttercream.
- Using both hands to guide, pipe a double swirl. Start in the centre of the cupcake, pipe one swirl, then pipe a second swirl on top. Press the nozzle down into the centre and pull away. Practice on a sheet of parchment paper first and then scrape the buttercream back into the piping bag.
- While the frosting on the cupcakes sets, prepare the chocolate and Caramac drizzle.
Adding The Caramac And Chocolate Drizzle
- Into separate heatproof, microwaveable bowls place the Caramac buttons and then the dark chocolate chunks.
- Prepare 2 small, disposable piping bags, as seen in the photo. Open up each bag and place into a small tumbler, ensuring the edge of the bag folds over the side of the glass. Doing so makes pouring the melted chocolate/Caramac into the bags easy and reduces the risk of burning yourself with hot, melted chocolate.
- Heat the chocolate and Caramac as for the frosting, stirring between each 20 second burst in the microwave. Once melted pour into the prepared piping bag.
- Starting with the Caramac, twist the top of the bag and then snip the end of the bag off, leaving a small hole.
- Pipe melted Caramac on to each cupcake using a zigzag pattern. Since this is a drizzle, melted Caramac (and also chocolate) can go over the sides of the frosting on to the cupcake.
- Repeat the same process using the dark chocolate.
- No two cupcakes will look identical, don’t worry! Rather, each cupcake’s individuality is part of its appeal and charm.
- Place the cupcakes somewhere cool to set. During warmer months pop in the fridge for a few minutes.
Cupcakes Are Made For Sharing
So, why not invite friends over and serve these cupcakes with a smile and a hot drink? Alternatively, package some up in a box and take to work to share with your colleagues. Since these cupcakes are so delicious, it really would be a shame not to share them.
Store in an airtight container and eat within 5 days. During very warm weather store in the refrigerator.
If you have enjoyed this recipe for Caramac Frosted Chocolate Cupcakes you may also like these:
Raspberry Ripple Almond Cupcakes
Gingerbread Frosted Ginger Christmas Cupcakes
Since the flavour combinations are virtually endless and each cupcake is an individual portion size, it is easy to see how they have remained so popular. In addition, each cupcake, especially when homemade, is unique. Also, they are just so pretty. Whether embellished with sprinkles, drizzles, little figures, flowers or simply piped with buttercream, the appeal of having a cake all to ourselves is such fun. Resulting in the perfect feast.
So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing your feast.
Sammie xx
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