Saturday, February 25, 2012

Baby Chocolate Mud Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting


























When I saw that this month’s blog hop was Love at First Bite
I thought long and hard about what to make. What do I really 
love in baking terms; baby baked goodies, cupcakes, chocolate
and salted caramel. So there was my answer staring right back
at me; Baby Chocolate Mud Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting.  

I wasn't sure if I was going to make this months hop as this last 
week has been full of ups and downs in our house. I had to make 
the frosting twice as my first batch didn't turn out to great (butter soup). 
Oh well. The second batch turned out better, although I still wasn't entirely 
happy with the result. I'll have to try it again. Regardless of the 
difficulties they taste indulgently delicious and as of this moment only
5 out of 36 remain. My family has gobbled up the rest. 
























Baby Chocolate Mud Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting 
Makes 36 baby cupcakes. 
(Cupcake recipe from; Women's Weekly - Cupcakes,cheesecake,cookies)
(Frosting recipe adapted from; Best friends for frosting - Salted caramel frosting)

Cupcakes 
60g dark eating chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup of water (160ml)
90g butter,softened
1 cup (220g) brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
2/3 cup (100g) Self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder 
1/3 cup (40g) Almond meal 

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. 
Line baby cupcake tray with muffin pans. 
In a saucepan, combine chocolate and water. Over low heat
stir until melted and smooth. Set aside. Beat together butter,
sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in sifted flour, cocoa and
almond meal along with warm chocolate mixture. Divide among
muffin pans filling 3/4 full. Smooth surface with the back of a teaspoon. 
Bake for 25 mins. Cool on a rack. Tip** Make sure your oven 
temperature doesn't fall when you put in your cupcakes otherwise 
you will end up with flat muffin tops. A oven thermometer is handy
for this. 

Frosting
3/4 cup caster sugar
6 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup butter, slightly softened
3 cups icing sugar

Briefly stir together granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in colour, about 6 to 7 minutes.
Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring with a wooden spoon until completely smooth. (Be careful, mixture will bubble up and possibly splatter a bit as you add in the cream).  Set aside until cool to the touch, about 25 minutes. If it turns hard or into a sticky consistency, place back onto low heat for a minute and add a few drops of water water. 
Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (Make sure butter is not sloppy soft other wise when you add in the caramel it will turn into butter soup.) Reduce speed to low, add icing sugar, and mix until completely incorporated.
On a low setting mix in caramel by slowly pouring it in. Beat frosting on low to combine, and then increase to medium-high and beat until airy and thoroughly mixed, about 2 minutes.  ( My mixture did not turn fluffy. I had to refridgerate and then mix again before it resembled anything like spreadable, pipe-able frosting.) Refrigerate if not using immediately or refrigerate to harden the frosting a bit.














7 comments:

Prue from The Culinary Library said...

That frosting sounds delicious! I will definitely be trying this one out.. just have to find an excuse to bake now!

Laura (Tutti Dolci) said...

Anything with salted caramel frosting sounds delicious!

Christina @ The Hungry Australian said...

I love the combination of chocolate and salted caramel. I can totally understand why you chose to make these. I'll have to give them a go :)

Anonymous said...

Chocolate mud cakes sound quite decadent... just as well they are baby size!

Lizzy (Good Things) said...

OMG, deliciousness, come to Mamma!

Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things said...

Yum, these look and sound absolutely scrumptious!

tania@mykitchenstories said...

They are so cute. I would love to eat these. Just one bit of chocolate and caramel .