I’ve been feeling a bit up and down recently due to lockdown, but after speaking to several people I think that’s pretty normal at the moment.
The other night when I couldn’t concentrate on reading a book or watching a movie (and that’s saying something because I’ve just got Disney+ and it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me), I decided to make some cupcakes.
There is a recipe in one of my Hummingbird Bakery books I’ve been wanting to try for a while – caramel cupcakes. They need a caramel chocolate on top for decoration, and luckily I had some caramel bunnies that my mum sent me for Easter! So it really seemed like I should finally try this recipe.
Firstly, I only made half the quantity of batter. Mainly because there seems to be a shortage of flour at the moment because everyone is baking banana bread, but also because I don’t need 12-16 cupcakes in my house… so I ended up with 7.
The batter was really liquid; I always worry when that’s the case but I don’t know why. I don’t know if a Hummingbird Bakery recipe has ever let me down yet, so if the batter seems liquid, just go with it.
The batter has caramel baked into it! And yes, I bought the caramel. I’ve got nothing to hide, I’m not ashamed. I can make caramel and I’ve done it before, so I’ve got nothing to prove here. It just seemed like a safer bet and honestly making caramel isn’t my favourite thing to do.
My new mantra, as of this very moment: ‘Life is short – make caramel once to prove you can, and then buy it in a tin forevermore’.
Anyway, the cupcakes themselves were super light and fluffy. The recipe worked. How much more do you want me to say?! How many words can you really use to describe a cupcake when it’s good, anyway?! I’m not a food writer so ‘light and fluffy’ it is.
Ooh no wait! They were scrumptious. Boom!
I ate that as soon as I’d taken the picture. No regrets.
One thing I did differently was change up the milk I used in the cupcake: I’ve recently switched to oat milk. I like oat milk. My best friend says it’s nice in her tea when she comes round. The plumber wasn’t too impressed when he came round to look at my boiler; he said it was ‘interesting’. I personally don’t think it tastes any different. Maybe it’s a bit milder than normal milk? I don’t know; it’s been so long since I drank cow’s milk I don’t really know any different. Anyway, you can’t taste the difference in a cake.
People think you’re sooooo trendy if you drink milk alternatives now. Well let me ask you where the flipping oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, coconut milk and moon dust milk was when I was little and allergic to normal milk?! Not in Tesco, that’s where.
Anyhoo, the next night when I couldn’t sleep, I made the buttercream icing. This also has caramel in it. There’s just caramel everywhere and it’s great.
So here’s what I did: make the icing, ice the cupcake, drizzle some caramel over the cake, whack a bunny on top. Again, if I may: boom!
I wanted to try and get a bit more creative with the icing if I’m honest, but in my sleep deprived state this is what I did, and I don’t think these would look out of place in a bakery.
I do need to work on icing a cake with a spatula though. I’m much better with a piping bag.
Conclusion: THESE ARE AMAZING. If you have a sweet tooth like me (I’ll be honest, I’m surprised my sweet tooth hasn’t fallen out yet because I indulge it so much… brb going to floss) then you will love these.
It’s like a caramel/sugar/chocolate bomb. I have eaten one cupcake – always have a test cupcake – and I already want to make these again. Highly highly recommend.
If you don’t have a sweet tooth then these aren’t for you, but I wish you and your healthy teeth a very happy life together.
There is now caramel all over my table. It’s actually all over my phone as well. Why am I like this. I have to go and clean now. Farewell until the next time and happy baking!
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OMG they look the yummiest ever. Can never have too much caramel in any recipe! Trouble is with this lockdown baking thing Windy Miller had best get his finger out pronto!