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.