Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream
“When you look at a cupcake, you’ve got to smile.”
Anne Byrn
I have to confess that I am not was never a cupcake person even though I love the eternal charm of these little baby cakes, and how immensely creative you can get with them. I fell in love with them when Nadia invited me for the soft launch of her little baby in Gurgoan, The Cupcake Factory. Came back INSPIRED, dreaming of whites and pinks, feeling strangely happy! Nadia’s passion shone ; she inspired me to make Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream.But first about this enterprising young lady, hugely talented, very creative and so fortunate to have realized her dream. Nadia grew up in Kuwait, went on being a musician in Hollywood and then came right across seven seas to India and set up a cupcake shop here … amazing!! There are plenty of bakeries here, patesseries of every kind … but this was the first dedicated cupcake stop that I heard of locally. This young lady always loved to bake and somewhere along the way her dream was born. She has her own ‘factory’ or open kitchen on the side where fresh cupcakes are baked in house, the recipes largely developed by her and the flavours that set the heart a-flutter!Yesteryear cupcake memories tumbled right back in… Somewhere along the way the kids grew up and I stopped baking cupcakes. From a batch or two a week to maybe a batch in two months, I figure I became lazy! I had forgotten the charm of these precious little cakes…A well set up shop, aesthetically designed, beautiful pinks, a state-of-the art attached kitchen, trained chefs from Kuwait, fresh flavours that had something on offer for everyone, it’s a shop that is a must visit for the ambiance, for the variety, for the freshness of flavours and for the ‘whimsical’ appeal! Cute little girls in pinks tripping along happily, tiny hands clutching cupcakes, pleading voices begging for more! Yes, the charm was alive. Offered the wide choice, I opted for espresso {what else???}. One bite later, I succumbed to cupcake magic! Fabulous beautiful flavours, light tender crumb, the sweetness just right and the butter cream silky smooth. Perfect! I savoured the cupcake to the last crumb, to the last bit of frosting! I came back home and the teens {big kids???} searched my bag for cupcakes, so I put my plans to work early the next morning and made these, frosting and all! Was pretty chuffed with myself as they came out quite nice. {Thank you Jamie; I love the little hearts!}. Slightly sweet for Mr PAB because of the buttercream but polished off by the teens… the cupcake magic lives on!It was a pleasure to visit The Cupcake Factory. If you live in the vicinity, I urge you to stop by ASAP. Those honest to goodness tender beautiful bites will have you hooked.
The CUPnCAKE Factory
Ninex Citymart (next to Fortune Hotel)
Sohna Road, Gurgaon.
… and if you can’t, there are always these delicious ones you can bake!
Recipe: Almond Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream
Summary: Almond and brown sugar cupcakes with a light, tender crumb topped with a silky salted caramel buttercream
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- Almond Cupcakes
- 90g plain flour
- 55g whole almonds
- pinch salt
- 1scant tsp baking powder
- 100g brown sugar
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 110ml 2% milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4tsp almond essence
- Salted Caramel Buttercream
- 15g sugar
- 15ml water
- 30ml low fat cream
- 50g unsalted butter
- 1/4tsp sea salt
- 85g icing sugar
Method:
- Almond Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 190C. Line a 12 mold cupcake tin with 8 liners {fill the remaining 4 with a 1/8 cup water each aid even heat distribution while baking}
- Process the plain flour, whole almonds, 75g brown sugar {3/4 quantity}, salt and baking powder in the bowl of a processor until ground fine. Reserve.
- Beat the butter with the remaining 25g sugar until pale. Add the egg and both extracts and beat again.
- Add the flour mix in 3 lots alternating with the milk until smooth.
- Divide between the 8 cupcake liners and bake for 20-25 minutes until light golden and a tester comes out clean.
- Cool completely on rack.
- Salted Caramel Buttercream
- While the cupcakes are baking, heat the sugar and water in a heavy bottom saucepan,undisturbed, until the colour turns light golden brown.
- Add the salt and cream and whisk rapidly with a balloon whisk until it all comes together into a salted caramel. {Please take care as the mixture will splutter in the beginning and will be really hot}.
- Let it cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Whip the butter and icing sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the salted caramel and continue to whisk until smooth.
- Place into a piping bag and frost the cupcakes.
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Also find me on The Rabid Baker, The Times of India
21 Comments
Divya
Lovely pics of cute cupcakes Deeba!!Your recipe for Vanilla cupcakes made me a star in my family:)It is a recipe which I can bake in the middle of the night from scratch.Got to bake another batch soon:)
vineeta
from where u got those cute white n pink hearts deeba???
Deeba @ PAB
Hi V…. from my sweet friend in France, Jamie
Rosa
What an amazing place! I love cupcakes.
Your look divine too and that is such a great flavor combination!
Cheers,
Rosa
Sarvani @ baker in disguise
you had me at the salted butter caramel… you just cant go wrong with that!
chinmayie @ love food eat
A cupcake factory is like a dream come true! I daughter would want one of every color there! This post makes me want to bake cupcakes!! A pink one with oink frosting may be 😉
Priya
Pretty looking gorgeous cupcakes.
Rituparna
I feel so happy every time I hear about someone being able to realise there dream. It give men immense hope and helps keep my dreams alive. Love the look and feel of the place. I might just go bake myself a batch to celebrate – LIFE…
Rekha Kakkar
What a lovely place …. Love these cutie cupcakes !!
gloria
Dear Deeba I love these cupcakes so I bookmarked love the topping you use hope to make soon look lovely.
Is always a pleasure stopping by in your beauty blog dear:))
Srimathi
Looks adorable. Loved reading about the cupcake factory setup and maybe, reading the post, I was thinking that you must try opening your passionate about baking dessert store. Where dessert is served like food. We have 2 of them in San Deigo called Extra Ordinary desserts. Check out their link. I always think you must do that.http://www.extraordinarydesserts.com/
Deeba @ PAB
Aw what a good thought. if I had the space, I really would have. Will check out the link Srimathi. Thank you for your sweet words.
CS
Super recipe. Love the texture of the caramel buttercream.
Deeba @ PAB
Thank you for stopping by!
Priya Sreeram
good one deeba- the blend of flavours in those cuties must have been swell !
Bhawna juneja
hey! I loved your site! Its amazing!:) I feel like eating them all!:);) Awesome work!:)
Bhawna juneja
hey! hi 🙂 I loved your website! Its super- awesome!:) I feel like eating all of them at once!:)
Amazing work!:)
Mukta
Hi Deeba ! Lovely post and beautiful pics as usual. I just wanted to ask you which software do you use for your pictures. I an really impressed with the way you combine a couple of photos together and would learn to know how to do it – that is if you don’t mind sharing.
Thanks
Jared Smith
I bet people would go crazy for your recipes on tiptap.com, shoot me a message to get a private invite!
— jrosen@tiptap.com
Deeba @ PAB
Thank you Jared. Maybe I give it a shot? Sounds interesting.
Cheers,
Deeba Rajpal
Blog: https://passionateaboutbaking.com/
Blog: http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/the-rabid-baker/
Blog: http://mactweets.blogspot.com/
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