Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

  

You have to make this frosting – you won’t regret it, I promise! I first made it for these salted caramel cupcakes and I have to say it hands down the best frosting I’ve ever tasted! Needless to say it only took a couple of days before I was looking for an excuse to make it again. So here it is – brown sugar banana cupcakes with salted caramel buttercream frosting.

Ingredients –

For the cupcakes –
40g/ 1 1/2oz/ 1/3 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
110g/ 2/3 cup soft light brown sugar
1 egg
100ml/ 1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature
1 ripe banana
100g/ 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt

For the salted caramel –
35g/ 2 tbsp unsalted butter
50g/ 1/4 cup soft brown sugar
25g / 1 tbsp golden syrup
50ml/ 1/4 cup double cream
1 tsp sea salt

For the frosting –
225g/ 1 3/4 cup icing sugar/ powdered sugar
55g/ 2oz/ 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp whole milk
4 tablespoons salted caramel sauce

makes 6-7 cupcakes

To make the cupcakes –
– Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/ gas mark 4 and line a cupcake or muffin tin with cupcake cases.
– Cream together the butter and sugar.
– Whisk in the egg until the mixture is light and creamy.
– Blend together the banana and milk then whisk into the egg, butter and sugar.
– Fold in the flour, baking powder and salt.
– Stir in the salted caramel sauce.
– Spoon the mixture into the cupcakes cases, filling each one about 2/3 full.
– Bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown.
– Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting –
– Melt the butter, sugar and syrup on a low heat in a heavy based saucepan. Turn up to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the cream and salt and cook for another minute. Leave to cool.
– Beat together the cooled caramel sauce with the butter, icing sugar and milk until soft peaks form.
– Pipe or spread the icing onto the cooled cupcakes and drizzle any remaining caramel sauce on the top.