Caramel Cupcakes (with Caramel Icing)

Friday Baking on a Thursday afternoon has become something of an tea drinking, diet coke sipping, magazine flipping institution here with the venerable 太太 Haynes for company and taste testing, and I enjoy the chance flex my baking skills and dust off the mixer. This recipe is a version of Caramel Cake by Eggbeater

I've used cups below, as the conversion was a real pain - I'm not a fan as I can never work out if my rather battered plastic Ikea one (have lost the rest and am down to a forlorn 1/2 cup) is a US cup size or not. Anyway, half a cup (in my kitchen) is 125ml if that helps at all.

I had some golden caster sugar than I used for the sponge - it's adds a nice tone I think, but bog-standard white is fine. Please note that the cases are cup cake cases and not muffin cases - these are more of a dainty cake. Don't expect a mountainous rise either, these are quite subtle, and you'll get a nice flat top for your squeeze of icing.

Makes 24 (as per the picture)

Caramel Sponge:
140g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon good quality salt (I grind up a bit of Maldon)
1/3 cup of Caramel Syrup (see recipe below)
2 eggs at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of milk at room temperature

Preheat oven to 175C.

Cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy.
Slowly add the caramel syrup and beat until incorporated.
Add eggs and vanilla extract a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Beat mixture until light and uniform.

Sift flour and baking powder. Turn mixer to lowest speed and add one third of the dry ingredients. When incorporated, add half of the milk, a little at a time. Add another third of the dry ingredients, then the other half of the milk and finish with the dry ingredients. As there is a high proportion of liquid in the batter - watch carefully to see that the mixture doesn't curdle - Make sure you mix each addition well, before you add the next.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to do a few last folds, making sure batter is uniform. Spoon the mix into paper cakes case in a cupcake tin, making them about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 15 mins until golden and springy to the touch.

Caramel Syrup:
1 cup caster sugar and 1/4 cup water
1/2 cup water (for "stopping" the caramelizing process)

Put the caster sugar and water into a small stainless steal pan (the high the sides the better). Turn on heat to highest flame. Allow to cook until dark amber.
When this colour is achieved, very carefully pour in one cup of water. The caramel will jump and sputter about! It is very dangerous, so have long sleeves on and be prepared to step back. Whisk over medium heat until it has reduced slightly and feels sticky between two fingers - Obviously wait for it to cool on a spoon before touching it, sugar burns are not good.

Caraml Butter Icing:
85g unsalted butter
500g icing sugar, sifted
2-3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons caramel syrup
sea salt to taste

Cook butter until brown. Pour through a fine meshed sieve into your mixer bowl fitted with a whisk attachment and allow to cool a bit before adding the sifted icing sugar a little at a time. When mixture looks too chunky to take any more, add a bit of cream and or caramel syrup. Repeat until mixture looks smooth and all icing sugar has been incorporated. Add salt to taste.

Note: I'm sure that in France you can buy jars of caramel syrup in the supermarche - might be worth an experiment to cut down on the time, 3rd degree sugar burns and oodles of left over syrup.

Edit: Keep the left over syrup - I popped mine in a jar in the freezer - but the fridge is fine, as if won't go off (like honey) and use it to make caramel icing or sauce as found here.