Mint Humbug Cupcake Recipe

[schema type=”recipe” name=”Mint Humbug Cupcake Recipe” author=”Rachel Howard” pubdate=”2014-08-25″ image=”http://www.sundaybaking.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Mint-humbug-cupcakes-top-700.jpg” description=”A minty caramel cupcake” prepmins=”10″ cookmins=”25″ yield=”18″ ]

Wow – what a difference a day can make to the English weather. Yesterday we were out enjoying a 10 mile bike ride in the beautiful New Forest, and today we are curled up on the sofa with the cat litening to the rain. It would be a perfect day to enjoy one of these cupcakes so I will drag myself out into the kitchen this afternoon to make some more!

Earlier this week I made these Mint Humbug cupcakes. A wonderful mix of caramel and mint. Looking at the ingredients, I thought my husband would hate them due to their sweetness but I think the mint balanced it out brilliantly and he actually really enjoyed them!

Recipe taken form Home Sweet Home.

[callout title=Ingredients for the Sponge:]

• 70g unsalted butter – softened
• 210g plain flour
• 250g caster sugar
• 1tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 210mil whole milk
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (or essence)
• 2 large eggs
• 50g tinned caramel

[/callout]

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 170C and fill a muffin tin with muffin cases
• In a free-standing electric mixer, mix the butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together until they have a sandy consistency
• In a jug, mix together the milk, peppermint essence and eggs with a fork
• Turn the mixer on to a low speed and slowly pour in half of the milk mixture and mix together
• Turn the mixer up to medium and mix until smooth
• Once all the lumps have gone, turn the mixer back down to low and add the remaining milk mixture
• Mix until smooth
• Add the tinned caramel and mix into the batter
• Spoon the batter into the muffin cases (two-thirds full)
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes
• Leave to cool for 5 minutes before putting them on a wire rack to cool

[callout title=Ingredients for the Frosting:]

• 500g icing sugar
• 160g unsalted butter – softened
• 50ml whole milk
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract (or essence)
•  20g tinned caramel

[/callout]

Method:

• Using a free-standing electric mixer, mix together the icing sugar and butter until all the big lumps of butter have gone
• In a jug, mix together the milk and peppermint extract
• Slowly pour the milk mixture into the icing sugar and butter and mix on a slow speed until incorporated
• Turn the mixer up to high and beat for around 5 minutes (or until light and fluffy!)
• Add the tinned caramel and mix
• Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them.

You could also top the cupcakes with crushed mint humbugs but I am not sure how the textures would work. I also think it would distract from the wonderful flavour you have already been able to re create in the sponge and frosting. I topped mine with some edible glitter.

I also tried to put in a mint humbug line to the frosting by adding a line of food gel into the piping bag but unfortunately I didn’t add enough and it didn’t show up. But I will try again when I bake some more later.

What I will say about these cupcakes are that they are better the day after baking. So if possible, try to bake them the day before.

Enjoy your Bank Holiday,

Rachel x