A few years ago I had an idea to make cupcakes and to make them awesome, so I came up with the following idea:  Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcakes. A traditionally British desert with a twist and well cupcakes are trendy and everyone loves them, right? I went to several sites and couldn’t find anything to fit what I wanted exactly, so I took a jumble of things and made my own. I’ve really impressed myself with this recipe. I hope that you enjoy them as much as I have!

Let me also warn you in advance that this recipe does take time and is a bit fiddly but completely worth it! This recipe makes 12 cupcakes but you will wish you had made more!

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcakes 

Makes: 12 medium-large cupcakes   Prep time: 45 mins Make time: 5 mins  Bake time: 22-25 mins Total time: 75 mins

Required Ingredients:

• 1 cup (150g) Dates pitted, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (115ml) Water boiling
• 1 Tbsp Treacle/runny Molasses
• 2/3 cup (150g) Unsalted Butter
• 3/4 cup (150g) Light Brown Sugar – packed
•  1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Medium Eggs
• 1 1/4cup (150g) Plain Flour
• 2 teapsoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional but life is better with cinnamon)

Frosting:

• 2/3cups (150g) Unsalted Butter softened
• 2.5 cups (250g) Icing Sugar
• 1tsp vanilla
• 1 tablespoon milk

Now to make these magical cupcakes that will leave you wanting more:

1. Put your chopped dates in a food processor and whizzed them down a bit more, to get the finely chopped element.  You dont have to do this but I just didn’t like the idea of big chunks of dates in my cupcakes.  I was going for the idea of amazing flavour without people chewing on the dates going, ‘whats that?’. I have also taken out this step and whilst the dates weren’t ‘crunchy’ they were more visible in the cupcake.

2. In a sauce pan add the finely chopped dates and 1/2C boiling water , allow to boil for 5 minutes. Stir as needed. You will notice the mixture becoming more pulp like and the water evaporating, which is a good sign!  Remove from the heat.

3.  Remove from the heat, add 1 Tsp of Baking Soda to the mixture, as you can see it will grow in size quite like honeycomb and thats fine, you want that, continue to stir.  Effectively the chemicals are reacting with each other and its breaking down the dates further.  Stir in 1 TbspTreacle/runny Molasses.   Now set this to the side to cool to room temperature or there abouts, leave for approximately 20 minutes.  Its important to remember that you dont want to add anything hot to what will be your cake mixture, as it will melt your butter and scramble your eggs.

4. After 20 minutes preheat the oven to 190°C/350F.  Get out your cupcake pan and line with your chosen liners or you can grease and flour the moulds.

5. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter(2/3 cup) until fluffy, mix in the brown sugar(3/4 cup packed) until creamy in texture. Stir in Vanilla Extract(1tsp).

6. Stir in the cold date mixture to the butter mixture.  I wont lie, the date mixture is not sexy in look at all and is almost off putting, ignore that for the moment!

With each step, please remember to scrap down the bowl!!!

7. Whisk in the eggs(2).  Normally recipes say to whisk in one at a time but Im lazy, throw them all in at the same time, ultimately it makes no difference and as long as you ensure they are thoroughly incorporated, no problems (famous last words, Im sure!). (I did increase this recipe, hence 3 eggs in the picture)

8. Measure out all your dry ingredients, 1 1/4 c plain flour, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking soda.  The cinnamon is optional in reality but Im a cinnamon whore and basically put it in everything! To me its a small thing that adds a nice compliment.  You can sift this all in but again, I took the lazy persons approach and just chucked it in.  HOWEVER, at this stage you do NOT want to over mix.  I stirred in the flour mixture with my spatula until just combined.

9.  You’ve now completed your cake mixture, well done! Youre more than half way there to eating these amazing cupcakes! I use a large ice cream scoop to put the mixture in my cupcake cases, I find that you get more even amounts in every case. If you dont have a ice cream scoop, fill 1/2 – 3/4 full.  However, this is a thick mixture, so take a spoon and smooth the tops over.

10. Bake in the oven for 22-25 minutes until risen and just firm to the touch.

Whilst your cupcakes are baking, make your frosting or you can wait whist they are out and cooling, ultimately you only want to frost the cupcakes once they are cool.

11. Place the butter(2/3c) in a bowl and beat!!!  The secret to an AWESOME buttercream is how long you beat it for.  I would say beat it for a minimum of 7-10 mins.  Stop every minute or so and scrape the bowl down.  I like to think that you’re beat the butter into submission. I have to say that this one of the areas where having a stand mixer literally makes all the difference.  You can do this with a hand mixer but you will need a lot of patience.

12.  Add in the vanilla (1tsp), allow to mix for another minute.

13. Just from adding the flavouring, you will notice a different consistency.  Slowly start to add in the icing sugar (2.5c).  Technically you should sift this in, again, Im lazy and chuck it in.  (if you’re using a hand mixer, you will need to sift it)  Add 1/4 of the icing sugar and taste. Is it enough, is it not enough? Add more to your taste.  Because the cupcake itself isn’t very sweet, having an overly sweet frosting is nice and works.  If you do find that your frosting is too thick, simply add in a teaspoon of milk at a time until it gets to your desired consistency.

Finished product!  Its amazing!!! Within your tasters you will notice how truly light and fluffy it is.  You’ll fall in love more with the frosting than the cake (just about).

Transfer your cupcakes to a wire rack to cool. Wrap and store for 24 hours to allow the flavour and texture to develop.  This is a very nice idea, in reality I could only wait long enough for them to cool and then frost and promptly scoff.  Waiting a day does give a better flavour, I wont lie but you’re a much better person than I am if you can wait that long! 

14. Once your cupcakes are completely cool, frost them anyway you like. Because I love cinnamon, I also sprinkled cinnamon over the top for sheer amazingness.

 

Notes: to make the icing extra special and kick it up a notice, make it a salted caramel frosting by leaving out the vanilla and adding 2 Tsp Caramel Flavouring and 1/2 Tsp Rock Salt sprinkled on top of the cupcakes. –

 

Remember to share with friends and enjoy! 🙂