Nutty caramel Snickers Cupcake recipe

Nutty caramel cupcakes studded with roasted peanuts and chunks of Snickers bars...topped lavishly with caramel cream cheese frosting, more nuts, chocolate and a final drizzle of  sweet, sticky caramel..

These cupcakes are not for the fainthearted.

But ohh...they are good.

Trust me on this. 

Snickers Cupcake Recipe

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

Line two muffin tins with cupcake papers. Recipe makes 18.

Ingredients

* Two eggs, lightly beaten

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 1 cup canola or vegetable oil.

* 1 cup sour cream

* 1 cup warm water

* 2 cups plain flour

* 1 teaspoon bi carb soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder

* 1 3/4 cups castor sugar

* 1 packet of 12 mini bite size snickers bars, roughly chopped

* Approx 1  cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

* In a medium bowl,using a hand whisk, combine eggs, extract, oil and whisk well. 

* Add sour cream and whisk until well combined.

* Add warm water.

* In a separate bowl, sift flour, bi card soda, baking powder and sugar. Whisk to combine. 

* Divide chopped Snickers bars in half, reserving some to add to the frosting. Do the same with the peanuts. Carefully stir in chopped Snickers bars and peanuts to the flour mix.

* Slowly pour wet mixture into the dry mix. Whisk until well combined. Use a spatula to ensure it is all mixed through. 

* Spoon mixture into prepared cupcake papers, until each is about a third full. 

* Using a teaspoon, drizzle a spoon full of caramel on the top of each cupcake. 

* Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool before adding caramel frosting and extra goodies. 

Caramel cream cheese Frosting Recipe

* 125g salted butter, softened

* 125g cream cheese, chilled

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* Approx 4 cups Icing sugar

* Dashings of cream

*  Approx 1/4 cup caramel sauce

* Wilton Icing Whitener if you want your frosting to be white! I use this all the time. It takes the buttery colour out of your icing,giving you a more pure colour. 

Method

* In an electric mixer on medium, beat butter until soft and creamy, about 3 minutes.

* Add cream cheese and mix for another 2 minutes until well combined. 

* Add Vanilla extract.

* Turn mixer down to low and slowly add icing sugar, a little at a time. Add dashings of cream as needed to keep it moist. 

*Add Icing whitener if using.

* Slowly pour in caramel sauce, being careful not to make the frosting too runny. Add more icing sugar as needed. 

Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and pile on the rest of the Snickers bars and peanuts. Generously drizzle the rest of the caramel sauce over the top...

Make a strong coffee, sit down and dig in. These are decadent! 

Enjoy every bite! x

Caramel sauce Recipe

* Put 1 cup of brown sugar and 4 tblsp of butter in a small saucepan on low heat. Stir well. 

* Add 1/2 cup pure pouring cream and keep stirring until slightly thickened, or about 5 minutes.  

* Use caramel to spoon onto uncooked cupcakes, add to frosting and then to drizzle over finished cupcakes. 

*Note. You may wish to put caramel in a small glass jar in the fridge to cool. When you want to use it, take it out of the fridge and place jar in a small saucepan with about an inch of water in the bottom. Stir caramel until it has become runny. 

(Or you could use a microwave. I don't have one, so I never think of that! )

XXX