Salted Caramel and Banana Cupcakes

My friend was hosting an RSPCA Cupcake Day Morning Tea to raise money to stop animal cruelty. I had a couple of bananas turning black so I thought I might modify my usual vanilla cupcake recipe and make banana cupcakes instead. I decided that a salted caramel icing could complement the banana cupcakes and found a recipe from a Super Food Ideas Magazine (August 2010). I’m not a big fan of thick icing on my cupcakes so this icing was the perfect choice. The cupcakes were very scrumptious and disappeared very quickly. My host called them Hawthorn Cupcakes but she may be a little biased...


Banana Cupcakes (Makes 12 Cupcakes)

Ingredients

·        90g butter, chopped

·        1/2 cup brown sugar

·        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·        2 free-range eggs

·        1 cup self-raising flour

·        2 very ripe bananas, mashed

·        1 tsp cinnamon

·        ½ tsp nutmeg

·        2 tbs milk, if needed

  

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1.    Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a 12-hole muffin pan with paper cases.

2.    Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add mashed banana. Fold in flour and spices. Add milk if needed to create the right consistency. Spoon mixture into the paper cases, using a spatula to smooth surfaces of each cake.

3.    Bake for 20 minutes, until springy to touch. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Salted Caramel Icing

Ingredients

·        1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

·        100g butter, chopped

·        4 tablespoons milk

·        1 cup icing sugar mixture

·        A couple of pinches of sea salt flakes

 

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1.    Place brown sugar, butter, salt and milk in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes (don’t boil) or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in icing sugar until smooth. Cool for a couple of minutes. Ice your cupcakes and sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt. If icing solidifies, put back on heat to warm a little.  

What cupcakes did you bake for RSPCA Cupcake Day?