Sticky Toffee Cupcakes
Moist sticky toffee cupcakes filled with warm toffee sauce and topped with creamy vanilla buttercream.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 100 g dried dates pitted and finely chopped
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 150 ml boiling water
- 100 g unsalted butter softened
- 100 g dark muscovado sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp black treacle
- 150 g self-rising flour
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 50 g dark muscovado sugar
- 50 ml double cream
- 100 g unsalted butter softened
- 200 g confectioners sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Place the chopped dates in a heatproof bowl, sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over them, and pour the boiling water on top. Stir gently and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
- In a large bowl, beat 100 g softened butter with 100 g dark muscovado sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the bowl, then beat in the black treacle until smooth.
- Sift the self-rising flour over the batter and fold it in gently with a spatula just until combined.
- Add the soaked date mixture, including all the liquid, and fold until evenly mixed with no streaks of flour.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cupcake liners, filling each about two thirds full.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the cupcakes are risen, golden, and spring back when lightly pressed in the center. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cupcakes cool, make the toffee sauce by melting 50 g butter with 50 g dark muscovado sugar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Whisk in the double cream and continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- For the buttercream, beat 100 g softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy, then gradually beat in the confectioners sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the milk and vanilla bean paste to the buttercream and beat until smooth and spreadable.
- Once the cupcakes are completely cool, use a small knife or apple corer to cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake, keeping the cake plugs.
- Fill each hole with a spoonful of warm toffee sauce, then replace a small piece of the cake plug on top to cover the filling.
- Pipe or spread the buttercream over the tops of the cupcakes, then drizzle each cupcake with more toffee sauce before serving.
Notes
- Use very soft butter for both the sponge and the buttercream for the best texture and easy mixing.
- If the toffee sauce thickens too much as it cools, warm it gently before filling and drizzling.
- You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature, then fill and decorate before serving.
- For a stronger caramel flavor, you can add an extra 1/2 tsp black treacle to the batter or a pinch of salt to the toffee sauce.
- If the toffee sauce thickens too much as it cools, warm it gently before filling and drizzling.
- You can bake the cupcakes a day ahead and store them unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature, then fill and decorate before serving.
- For a stronger caramel flavor, you can add an extra 1/2 tsp black treacle to the batter or a pinch of salt to the toffee sauce.