my favourite cupcake recipe

I made these cupcakes for my friend Tash’s birthday, which was the same day as my year 12 formal. I did feel a bit ridiculous; carrying cupcakes around while wearing the nicest dress I own, but everyone should get food on their birthday. In the end, I forgot to hand them out at formal, so during the after party I sat on a couch with a drink bottle and a packet of chips (yes, I am very fun at parties) and offered them to slightly confused, tired and inebriated people. I made chocolate cupcakes filled with salted caramel, with half of them decorated with chocolate frosting and caramel drizzle, and the other half with caramel frosting and a dusting of cocoa powder. I didn’t write down the frosting recipe as I tend to haphazardly throw ingredients into the Kitchen Aid until the frosting is the right consistency, so you're on your own with that one.

This is my go-to cupcake recipe; it makes exactly 12 perfectly sized cupcakes, and can be adapted to any flavour. I’m not sure where this recipe came from, I found it a few years ago in my mums folder of cake recipes. I have since memorised it, and it’s so easy and that it’s the recipe I give to anybody who wants to make cupcakes; particularly people like my friend Harriet who manage to completely destroy cake mixes.


Even if you’re baffled by baking, try out this recipe, it’s so simple and can be tailored to whatever flavour you like. Feel free to substitute the buttermilk for ¼ cup milk and ¼ cup yoghurt, I have never actually used real buttermilk because I hate wasting ingredients and there is really nothing other than cupcakes that I use buttermilk for.

 

Cupcakes…

100 grams butter
100 grams caster sugar
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 150 degrees and prepare cupcake pan

2. Soften butter in the microwave and cream butter and sugar
3. Add the cocoa and stir until smooth
4. Stir in egg, vanilla and buttermilk
5. Add flour and mix till combined
6. Bake in oven for 15-20 minutes


Caramel Sauce…
1 cup caster sugar
50 butter
¼ cup cream
Pinch of salt

Method:
1. Heat sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly, until melted and lightly caramel toned
2. Take caramel off heat and add butter and cream, stirring until combined and smooth
3. Pour into jar and let cool