Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes

For the Caramel Filling:

Place brown sugar, water and salt into a saucepan and simmer over a medium heat until mixture starts to darken and thicken. Take off heat and add ½ tin of condensed milk and the icing sugar and stir through. Place back on heat and simmer for 3 – 5 minutes – stirring constantly. Mixture should be a thick runny consistency – if not add more icing sugar. Set aside to cool.

For the Caramel Butter Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Set out muffin papers in muffin tin.

Beat butter, vanilla and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time; then beat in golden syrup. Fold in sifted dry ingredients and milk.

Fill the cupcake papers half way and make an indent in the top of the mixture. Spoon a teaspoon of salted caramel in the indent and place the rest of the batter on top.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the buttercream icing:

Soften copha (or shortening) in microwave for a few seconds until it’s pliable. Be careful not to melt it. Place both copha (or vegetable shortening) and butter into a mixing bowl, add vanilla essence and beat for 1-2 minutes until combined.

Add icing sugar 1 cup at a time, continuing to mix until you’re happy with the consistency. You may not need the whole 750g. Add meringue powder and water and mix to combine. Set aside for about 10 minutes.

Assembling

Ice cupcakes with buttercream icing and carefully place popcorn pieces over the icing to cover the top of the cupcake, trying to keep gaps to a minimum.

Use pieces of popcorn with dabs of icing on it to fill in gaps and create a uniform top.