Sublime double caramel cupcake

I'm not quite sure why.. but baby pig has a thing for all things with caramel!

So I knew for my "FASCINATING" bake challenge, baby's cupcake would have to have some caramel somewhere! (^^)

The only caramel cake I ever made was banana caramel cream cheese cake, which I remember baby enjoyed.. Alas, my bananas are not ripe and I do not have cream cheese either.. So change of plans.. go without.. which made things far more simpler (and more to my liking ^^). But then I had to come up with the brilliant idea of making swiss  meringue buttercream for frosting! Aaargh... more work!!!

That's why this cupcake is called double trouble ^^ no, just joking.. it's so named because of the caramel and sweetness is times two in this recipe ^^||

Double caramel cupcake (adapted from piggyscookingjournal and previous post)
Caramel

120g sugar  

2 tbsp water

6-8 tbsp whipping cream (depending on the consistency that you like)

* keep about 6-8 tbsp of caramel sauce for frosting

Cake

250g unsalted butter (use best butter, ok)
100g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract/essence (get darkest, thick essence possible) 
230g self-raising flour, sifted
6 tbsp fresh milk (fresh milk only!)
6 tbsp whipping cream (this came from daily delicious' recipe.. interesting!)
4 egg whites
70g caster sugar

1. Prepare caramel. Let sugar cook in a saucepan. When you see the sugar on sides of the pan melting, drizzle water all over sugar slowly. When syrup turns into amber color and caramelizes (see david lebovitz's step by step), remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream (if cream curdles, just strain before use). Set aside, and keep 6-8 tbsp for frosting.

2. Preheat oven to 180C.

3. Beat butter and 100g sugar till light and fluffy (don't overbeat!) Add egg yolks one at a time and mix till well combined. Add vanilla extract or essence.

4. Sift flour, and fold into butter mixture in 3 batches. Mix in fresh milk and whipping cream. Batter should be nice and smooth now.

5. Beat egg whites till frothy, and slowly add in 70g sugar. Beat till thick and glossy. Medium-soft stiff.

6. Fold in egg whites gently into cake mixture in 2 batches.

7. Add caramel fudge sauce and mix well.

8. Bake as cupcakes for 25 minutes, or in a 7 or 8" round/square tin for 40-55 minutes, or till the skewer comes out clean.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream 
3 egg whites
100g sugar
100g unsalted butter, diced small

1. Beat egg whites and sugar in a bowl over a pot of boiling water (do not let bottom of bowl touch boiling water). Continue to whisk mixture till sugar is dissolved (check by rubbing some mixture on fingers.. if no residue, that means it's ready). Remove from heat.

2. Beat egg whites mixture with electric whisk for about 8 minutes.

3. Slowly add diced butter (bit by bit) to mixture and beat for about 5 minutes. If it curdles, just continue beating.. don't give up! It always comes back ^^

4. Pipe or put frosting on cooled cakes. Drizzle caramel fudge sauce (be generous and you will be well rewarded! ^^) over frosting. And bon apetit!

There really is SOMETHING about caramel! These cupcakes tastes so, so exceptionally good! So, so moist and luscious ^^.. Top TOP marks from baby pig! Big too! And chubby and me too! (^^)

Oh, yes! did I mention I found and used Lescure butter for my "FASCINATING" bakes? I really think it made a HUGE difference to how my cupcakes, double trouble and (almost ^^) white kisses, turned out ^^!
Believe me (us!), these double trouble cupcakes are truly sublime!!! (^^)