Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Centres and Caramel Popcorn

What could possibly be better than dark chocolate cupcakes filled with salted caramel, decked with cream cheese frosting?

I'll tell you what - throwing some home-made caramel popcorn into the equation! 
The biggest problem with making caramel popcorn? It’s not the volcanically hot caramel sauce you’ll be working with, no  - but rather the temptation to try a piece or 20 along the way. And before you know it, you’re going to have to make a second batch! 

Caramel popcorn is ridiculously more-ish.  
The idea that we have different sections of our tongues devoted to different tastes is actually incorrect, but there’s no doubt that something that is sweet and salty at the same time, tickles all the taste buds! 

You'll find the recipe for dark chocolate cupcakes and salted caramel here:http://teacakeandcreate.blogspot.com/2014/04/dark-chocolate-cupcakes-with-salted.html And for  cream cheese icing here:
http://teacakeandcreate.blogspot.com/2012/07/cream-cheese-icing-chocolate-cream.html

But right here, right now .... here's the recipe for caramel popcorn:

Caramel Popcorn 

Ingredients:

180g caster sugar 
110g butter
25g golden syrup 
2ml bicarbonate of soda / baking soda 
Vanilla extract 

+/- 70g  popped popcorn*, well salted   


(* FYI 70g of popcorn kernels will give you 70g of popped popcorn. Caramel popcorn is pretty magic stuff, but we don't create or destroy matter when making it!)

Heat sugar, butter and syrup together in a saucepan on medium-high, stirring until sugar has melted. Then simmer for approximately 4-5min and just starting to turn amber (or when a sugar thermometer reaches 124'C ) Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and bicarb. 
While the syrup is simmering, spread the popped popcorn out on 2 large baking trays lined with non-stick paper. 
Pour  the syrup over the popcorn, mix well, coating as much of the popcorn as possible. Do not be tempted to do this with your hands  🙀- the syrup is extremely hot; rather use two forks. 
Place in the oven for 8-10minutes at 180'C.  Allow to cool before you start tucking in!

Store any caramel popcorn you don't use on cupcakes in an airtight container. It'll keep for a few days. 
Until it's gone ... all gone 😿


Enjoy!
xxM 

Choc-Chip and Orange Yoghurt Cupcakes

Oh, 2019 you're sending me mixed messages, I don't know where I stand with you. 
Can we just be friends?!

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic for 2018 . Can you tell? 
Oh, the good old days. 
Life was simpler back then... 😝

Don't worry, though. I'll get the hang of this year, around March. Maybe May. 
Until then? Don't over-think it.  Chocolate helps too. 

Cue choc-chip cupcakes....

I re-visit this recipe every couple of years - it's got so many possibilities, and it never disappoints. 

(Now that's comforting!)

You use yoghurt in the recipe, and then use the yoghurt tub to measure the ingredients. 

A "tub" being a little yoghurt cup, but not the little little * yoghurt cup - 150g, or 175g will do.  

(*Definition of little little: the ones that you'd finish off in 2 spoonfuls as an adult, but seem to contain litres of yoghurt when they get spilled on your child's clothes or in a school lunch box ....)

I've used full cream choc-chip yoghurt to make these, plus extra chocolate, and some orange zest. It's a flavour pairing I use often - comfort food, I tell you - but I know that not everyone loves citrus with their chocolate, so omit it if you must. (But really, though - only if you must!).


Choc-Chip and Orange Yoghurt  Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 180'C 
Line 2x 12 hole muffin trays with cupcake cases. 
If they are the larger sized muffin trays, you may only get 18 cupcakes out of this recipe. 

Ingredients
2 tubs* choc-chip yoghurt (now rinse and dry 1 of these tubs to use to measure the dry ingredients) 
1 tub oil
2 tubs caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract 
zest of 1 medium orange 

3 tubs cake flour 
1 1/2 tsp baking powder 
1 tub finely chopped dark chocolate pieces

Whisk together the wet ingredients. Add the orange zest. 
Sift in the cake flour and baking powder. Mix until smooth. 
Fold in the chocolate. 

Divide  the batter amongst the prepared cupcake cases. 
Bake at 180 ' C for approx. 20 minutes, or until they're just beginning to turn golden and spring back when touched.  

I topped some of these with a simple glaze made from icing sugar and orange juice, and a squiggle of melted chocolate. But really, they're good just as they are. 

Enjoy!

xxM