Chocolate & Biscoff

caramel cupcakes

350g plain flour 370g caster sugar 55g cocoa powder 1tsp bicarbonate of soda ½tsp fine sea salt 150g dark chocolate chips 250ml buttermilk 250ml cold coffee 430ml vegetable oil 3 large eggs 1tsp vanilla extract 3 For the salted caramel: 65ml water 230g caster sugar 85g butter 130ml double cream ½tsp vanilla extract Fine sea salt For the Biscoff buttercream: 600g unsalted butter 1.3kg icing sugar sieved 400g Biscoff spread 8tbsp milk 1tsp vanilla extract Method:

1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas mark 4. Sieve the plain flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl and combine. Roughly chop the dark chocolate and add to the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk and coffee to a large bowl followed by the vegetable oil, then mix. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, add the vanilla extract, then tip into the buttermilk mixture.

2 Add the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture in three intervals,

4 Using a standing mixer, cream the butter until it becomes light pale and fluffy, then begin to add the icing in three intervals, until it’s well incorporated, followed by the Biscoff spread. Your buttercream will be insanely stiff, so add the milk to loosen it up. Finally, add the vanilla extract.

5 Decorate the cupcakes in whichever way you want, pipe, dollop, spread – you name it. Top each with the buttercream, then finish off with a few squiggles of the salted caramel. Nice one! making sure it is properly combined. Divide between 24 cupcake cases in a muffin tray and bake for 20-25 mins until there is a cheeky spring back. Leave on a wire rack to cool. Salted caramel:

Pour the water into a saucepan, then slowly add the caster sugar a little bit at a time, whisking until it’s all in. Place the saucepan over a medium heat and wait until the sugar mixture has turned to a deep amber. Take the saucepan off the heat, add the butter, then return to the heat and stir until the butter is completely melted. Remove from the heat, then add the double cream, vanilla and salt. Mix until combined. Biscoff buttercream: