Twix Cupcakes

Rich, chocolatey, piled high with luscious caramel buttercream with a subtle crunch from the biscuit base. Everything good about a Twix in a cupcake!

I love chocolate bars and I love cupcakes so the prospect of emulating the flavours of a much loved chocolate bar in a fluffy, moist cupcake is really about as exciting as it gets!

Especially a chocolate bar like a Twix with all it's different flavours and textures - smooth chocolate, gooey caramel and the crisp biscuit base. I've wanted to make salted caramel buttercream for a while now and the idea of Twix cupcakes came to me when trying to decide how to use this buttercream. I cannot even think of enough adjectives to describe how beautiful this buttercream is, I was eating heaped tablespoons of it while decorating - and this is coming from someone who doesn't like a lot of buttercream on cakes (believe it or not). It is very sweet but the saltiness takes the sickly edge off and the creamy flavour has the perfect sharpness to it to compliment the richness of the very chocolatey cakes. I don't know about you but there is something sooo satisfying about making things like caramel from scratch; it's easy and impressive and delicious. The crunch of the biscuit base also cuts through the softness of the absolute mound of buttercream and gives a real Twix-like feel to the cupcakes.

If you really want to know how good these are: my mother took some into work to share and I have now been asked by her colleague to bake a batch every week for the office. Are you desperate to make these yet?! Don't wait any longer! Here is the recipe...

Ingredients: (makes about 12 cupcakes)

Cupcakes

60g self raising flour, sifted

40g unsweetened cocoa powder

100g caster sugar

100g unsalted butter

2 medium eggs

1 tsp baking powder

A few digestive biscuits (approximately 4-5)

50g butter, melted

Caramel

60ml water

125g caster sugar

80ml double cream

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

Buttercream

150g salted butter

200g icing sugar

1 tsp double cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180c and line a muffin tray with liners.

2. Crush the digestive biscuits by placing into a freezer bag and rolling a rolling pin over it until reduced to crumbs. Melt the butter in the microwave on medium in 30 second bursts until barely melted to avoid it turning greasy. Stir until fully melted and add to the digestive mixture.

3. Pop a heaped teaspoonful of the digestive mixture into the bottom of each muffin case and use a small glass to flatten and condense the mixture, similarly to a cheesecake base. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes.

4. While the bases are baking prepare the cakes. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy then whisk in the eggs 1 at a time. Gradually sift the baking powder, flour and cocoa powder together into the mixture and fold in until combined. Be careful not to overmix.

5. Put 2 tbsps of batter into each liner and bake for 12-15 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Prepare the caramel while waiting for the cupcakes to cool. Add the water and sugar to a small, heavy pan and stir on a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat to allow the mixture to boil. Do not stir but watch very carefully while it boils - once it turns to a caramel colour remove from the heat and add the cream. Stand well back while adding as it will splatter and it is very hot! Stir constantly until smooth and add the salt and caramel.

7. Combine the softened butter and icing sugar and beat for about 5 minutes. This is where a stand mixer comes in handy but if you, like me, don't own one just furiously beat by hand until it looks fluffy and combined. Add the cream while mixing, it will make it easier and creamier! Once the caramel is COMPLETELY cool, add it to the buttercream and taste. Then struggle to try and stop yourself eating the whole bowl...

8. Pipe onto the cooled cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M to make a pretty swirl but you could use whichever tip you prefer, or even just spread it on thick and enjoy!

I really really hope you enjoyed these as much as we all did, I was so happy with how these turned out! Just shows how something you bake experimentally (I had no idea how the biscuit base would go, or even if the caramel would work with the buttercream!!) can turn out sooo well!

Here is a challenge for any of my readers: I would love it if you made a cupcake of your favourite chocolate bar and sent it to me, or even just shared your ideas for a chocolate bar inspired cupcake that I could try! 

Teri x

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