Simple Caramel Cupcake Recipe

If you need a good fail-safe and super easy all-in-one-go cupcake recipe, this is our family favourite.  I have been making these simple caramel cupcakes for 8 years now.  My recipe is a well worn printout of an email I wrote to my sister way back in 2004.

----- Original Message -----

From: Fiona

To: Sally

Sent: Monday, August 09, 2004 9:41 PM

Subject: cake??

Sal, I am struggling to find a good cake recipe for Sasha's (1st) party - any ideas?  I was going to make little cup cakes as they are easier to hand around than a big cake and cuter for a baby party.  I have a recipe for some raspberry and cream cheese ones with pale pink icing - do you think this is a good idea or should I do the caramel cupcakes you made for her christening  as they were a huge hit??

any ideas?

love Fi - my baby's turning 1!! can you believe it!!! I am still only getting used to thinking of myself as a mummy.

And my sister replied with this recipe (and some advice on not stressing for the party! big sisters are good like that. LOL) and so a cupcake tradition was born at our house.  

Simple Caramel Cupcakes

1.5 cups self raising flour

1/3 cup caster sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar

125 g softened butter chopped

3 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract*

1. Preheat your oven 180C
2. Use paper cases
3. Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat with electric mixer 4 minutes until smooth.
4. Bake 20-25 mins

*I always use extract but vanilla essence is also an option if you need to use cheaper ingredients.

Four simple steps - how easy can that be!  

* see my cake baking tips here

We have made so many batches of these simple caramel cupcakes over the last 8 years...for birthdays, afternoon teas, lunch boxes and cake stalls.  They work perfectly every single time.  When Jonty was a baby, Phil stayed home as the "Mummy" to look after our two kids while I took on a 9 month project contract in the city.  He made these cupcakes regularly although he put his own spin on them. He left them un-iced but instead added sultanas to the mixture. The kids love them like that and it makes them even easier to whip up.

The caramel flavour from the brown sugar is very subtle and they are not overly sweet as some caramel cakes can be.  Give them a try and let me know what you think.  I mainly like this recipe for how light the cakes are and what a good shape they turn out to be.  I have used an easy buttercream pink icing and piped little roses with a Wilton Tip 107 and ruffles with Wilton Tip 104. Actually for piping roses I usually use Wilton Icing Tip 106 but I've mislaid it at the moment (I'm never putting things back where they belong and it drives me absolutely nuts!)

Let me know if you like these caramel cupcakes and how you get on with the recipe.

happy baking!

Fiona xx