Caramel cupcakes with a expresso buttercream frosting

Caramel cupcakes with a expresso buttercream frosting and drizzled with caramel sauce and chocolate ganache

Truly indulgent - these caramel cupcakes are filled with chocolate ganache centre and frosted with a rich coffee buttercream and drizzled with caramel sauce on top!
For that special someone that loves the three C's - coffee, caramel and chocolate!

Flavours can be customized - we can make the frosting a dulce de leche frosting for those that do not like coffee and leave out the chocolate ganache filling or swap with something else for those that do not like chocolate ( it's true, although I personally don't believe that there are people that don't like chocolate, they do exist!!).  Talk to me for more details.

or just coffee flavoured whipping cream

For caramel syrup:

Granulated white sugar – 2 cups
Water – 1/2 cup
Water, to stop crystallization – 1 cup

Method:

Add sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and put it on high flame until the sugar dissolves. Keep stirring with a wooden spatula. It will start boiling and bubbling and colour starting to change. Stir once in a while but not constantly. Let the colour change. In the picture below, the picture in the second row third column is my final colour I thought is enough. You got to wait for that stage. Now switch off stove and remove the sauce pan to the kitchen counter. Take all precaution, step back and stretch your hands to just pour a bit of the water and keep away while it splatters. Now again pour some more of the water and let it splatter some more. Now you can pour all of the remaining 1 cup. Mix well and bring it back on to fire on high flame and keep on high flame for 2 to 3 minutes until it reduces a bit and thickens. Do not leave it for long, then it would really thicken making it difficult to pour once it cools down. You got to have a fairly thin syrup while switching off the stove, which when cooled down is honey consistency.

Caramel cupcakes:

Ingredients:
170 gm (1 1/4 cup) plain flour
65 gm (1/2 cup + 4 tbsp) cornstarch or cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
250 ml (1 cups) milk + 1 tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup caramel syrup
220 gm (1 cup) granulated sugar*
125 ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil (preferably rice bran)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

 Method:
Line a 12 numbered cupcake or muffin pan with cupcake liners.
In a bowl assemble all the dry ingredients the plain flour, corn starch, baking powder and soda together and sieve together once.
Pre heat the oven to 175 C/350 F.
In another bowl put in the milk and vinegar and allow it to sit for about five minutes. Put in the granulated sugar and oil and blend with a blender until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the caramel syrup as well.  Stir in the vanilla extract.
Now put in the sieved dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients, add the additonal 2 tbsp water and blend with a blender until well mixed about 3 to 4 minutes.
With the help of an ice cream scoop or a spoon drop the batter into the cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes for regular cupcakes and 10 minutes for mini cupcakes.

Rich Coffee Buttercream

Top thick film formed on boiled and cooled milk – 1 1/2 tablespoons
Icing sugar – 1 cup, sifted thrice
Butter – 1/2 cup, at room temperature
Instant coffee powder – 3/4 teaspoons

In a bowl take the top of milk and whisk well. Add icing sugar little at a time and whisk well until it is combined. Beat for a minute or so on medium speed. Now add the butter and instant coffee powder and beat until the butter has incorporated evenly and the buttercream has lightened and airy. This process will take 2 to 3 minutes on medium high speed. Buttercream is now ready to be frosted.

Chocolate Ganache garnish:
100g cream
200g chocolate chopped to bits
Boil cream until bubbles form on top
Pour over chocolate
Rest for a minute and fold chocolate until you get a smooth sauce

Caramel sauce for garnish:
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon fleur de sel (or any other flaky sea salt)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a heavy saucepan, with a capacity of at least 2 or 3 quarts. Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You'll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that's okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down.
Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.

2. Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color. It should look almost a reddish-brown, and have a slight toasted aroma. This is the point where caramel can go from perfect to burnt in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye. If you are using an instant-read thermometer, cook the sugar until it reaches 350 degrees F.
(The lighting doesn't depict the color perfectly in the photo above, but if you look to the left side, you will see there is some darker caramel underneath - this was the predominant color at this point.)

3. As soon as the caramel reaches 350 degrees, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.

5.Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Add the fleur de sel and whisk to incorporate.

6. Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 weeks. You'll want to warm the sauce up before using.