Hurrah! National Cupcake Week has arrived in the UK (though if you’re abroad feel free to join in too)! To celebrate we’ll be sharing five delicious ‘Classic British Dessert’ recipes in cupcake form. Excited? We are too. Our first super tasty cupcake for you to re-create at home pays homage to the crowd pleasing Banoffee Pie. Our cupcake version is a fluffy and light vanilla bean cupcake filled with salted caramel sauce, swirled with creamy white chocolate and banana buttercream, drizzled with more salted caramel sauce and then finished with triple chocolate crisp balls. What a perfect way to begin the week!
Basic Vanilla Cupcake Recipe (Makes 12 Cupcakes)
4 free range eggs
226g self-raising flour
226g caster sugar
226g butter
1 bourbon vanilla pod
Cream your butter in a mixer then add the caster sugar. Add in the flour along with half of the eggs for around one minute. Once half of the eggs are combined add the remaining mix along with the seeds inside your bourbon vanilla pod and mix for about 5 minutes.
Separate the batter into each cupcake case until 2/3 full and place on the top shelf of a pre-heated oven at Gas Mark 3/325F/170C. Bake for around 20/25 minutes.
Once cooled core the centre of your cupcakes using a handy cupcake corer. Now begin making your delicious salted caramel sauce!
Salted Caramel Recipe
175g brown sugar
115ml single cream
60g butter (no low fat or margarine spread)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Add all your ingredients into a saucepan on medium heat. Whilst this cooks whisk your caramel mixture for up to 8 minutes until it thickens. Cook a little longer to thicken further. Finally, remove from your stove and leave to cool.
To add to your cored cupcakes simply use a teaspoon to add into the centre of your cakes! Store the rest of your salted caramel sauce in an airtight container and enjoy drizzled atop of sweets and desserts! This sauce should last for up to 4 days.
Ready to begin creating your banana buttercream?
Banana Buttercream Recipe
250g butter
400g icing sugar
6 - 12 drops of banana natural essence
70-100g white chocolate buttons or callets
Add half of the butter diced into pieces. Cream the butter in a mixer then gradually add icing sugar and the remaining butter (cut into cubes) until you get a smooth, creamy texture. Melt your white chocolate buttons or callets in a bowl sat in hot water. Once melted add to your buttercream and gently mix. Finally, add the banana natural essence to taste.
Swirl your salted caramel filled cupcakes with your silky banana buttercream, drizzle with about a teaspoon of caramel sauce and topple with sprinkles. At last, you should had a batch of banoffee inspired cupcakes ready to enjoy!
