The kids have gone out with their grandmother and aunty today so Mick and I have the house to ourselves...its very peaceful.
I decided to try out the caramel maple cupcakes in the current issue of Donna Hay and am super impressed with the results! Mine might not be as perfect looking as Donnas but the flavour is first class!
The cupcakes are made by melting together 60ml maple syrup, 160ml milk, 120g brown sugar, 150g butter and 75g white chocolate. Melt this and allow to cool.
In another bowl sift 150g plain flour and 1 teaspoon baking power. Mix in cooled chocolate mix, some vailla essence and 1 egg.
Pour into cupcake papers (mine made 12, but next time I won't fill the papers quite so full, so it will probably make 14 or 15.
Bake at 160degC for 25mins (recipe says 15 but mine were still quite runny at 15 mins).
Allow cupcakes to cool.
To make the wicked icing - melt together 175g brown sugar, 100g butter, pinch salt. Bring to high heat, add 60ml milk and some vanilla. Bring to boil and boil gently for 3 minutes. Stir and keep an eye on it or it will boil over and make a huge mess!
When the mix has boiled for 3 mins turn stove off and mix in 160g sifted icing sugar.
The recipe says you can ice the cakes straight away but i found the icing way too runny for this. Leave icing for about 20 - 30 mins. Mix well then ice your cakes.
Icing will set quite quickly and they look really special.
The top photo is my cakes the bottom is the Donna Hay ones...I am pretty happy with the results!
