It was my birthday yesterday and I have the sore head to prove it. I’m a bit high maintenance when it comes to birthdays. I pretend I don’t care a jot and for years I didn’t even allow Facebook to announce the day of my birth. I told everyone it didn’t matter. I’ve been lying.
I care so much. I want cake. I want cards. I want well chosen presents. Yes, I do want to go out for dinner. And I want to go away for the weekend too. And I want a homemade card from my children. I want it all. I am a birthday brat.
And this year I got all of those things apart from the homemade smudged card from the kids, though given they spend all their time with me and are 2 and 4, I’m not sure when they were supposed to create a work of art without my seeing it. I’m fine about it, really I am. *Smiles the pained smile of a martyr.*
Anyway, here’s a lovely cupcake recipe, a revisit of an old faithful, making it a bit sexier. If coffee and walnut can be sexy that is?
One year ago: Bake me not chocolate cake and Joyful banana, butterscotch and fig traybake
Two years ago: Light and sweet carrot cake and Rhubarb and ginger chutney
Caramel iced coffee and walnut cupcakes
Makes 12.
Ingredients:
- 130g self raising flour
- 45g ground almonds
- 175g soft butter
- 175g castor sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp Camp coffee essence/instant coffee made up with a bit of hot water
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp milk
- 75g finely chopped walnuts
- 80g soft butter
- 160g icing sugar
- 250g of tinned caramel
- 12 walnut halves
Pop the oven on to preheat to 170C/Gas 3. Make sure the rack is in the centre of the oven and then line a cupcake tray with cases. Beat the SR flour, ground almonds, 175g soft butter, castor sugar, eggs, coffee essence, vanilla extract and the milk until light and fluffy – 4 mins in a stand mixer, about 6 with a wooden spoon. Add the chopped walnuts and beat in until well combined. Then divide equally between the cupcake cases and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden, slightly risen and a toothpick comes out of the centre cupcake clean. Leave to cool out of the tray, on a wire rack.
Make the icing by beating the 80g soft butter with the icing sugar until very light and airy looking, like mousse flecked with air. This takes about 7 minutes in a stand mixer, longer with a handheld or wooden spoon. Then add the tinned caramel, it’s available in large supermarkets, or you could make your own. Mix well and then pipe onto your cooled cupcakes and top with a walnut. For piping tips I did a film with Lakeland ages ago that might be useful. You can see it here.
Comments, as always, appreciated.
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Holly Bell 
My icing didn’t stay thick after I added the caramel so I couldn’t pipe it beat it for the recommended 7 minutes but then it went runny after the caramel went it can i save it
Is your kitchen warm? Try popping in the fridge. Or caramel can vary in consistency so try adding more icing sugar.
Holly
Thanks holly have made them a few times now and can pipe the icing which is an improvement! I invested in the Lakeland disposable bags and the wilton nozzles and I can say I’ve impressed myself my husband says these are his favourite cakes by far so thank you x
That’s fab news! So pleased you like them. x
Hi Holly, these look lush!!!
its my lovely hubbies birthday and wanted to make these but would prefer to do a cake rather than cupcakes, will the ingredients and cooking tempature (fan assisted) be the same for 20cm sponge tins? x
Yes this is the perfect cake recipe for a 20cm tin. I would add a teaspoon of baking powder to the mix too. Hope your husband likes his cake! xx
sorry me again….meant to say in 2x 20cm sponge tins?? Not very good at cutting cakes across the middle x
Yes in two. Xx
Holly
These look yummy. Which nozzle did you use for the icing Holly?
Wilton 1M. I am a nozzle bore and 99% of the time use this one. x
Definitely going to bake these cupcakes …how can I not after making walnuts and coffee sexy xoxo
Ha ha! Yes, hard to believe coffee and walnut can be sexy! X
Holly
Hi Holly, can I just say what a wonderful writer you are? I absolutely love reading your posts and I hope you get snapped up to write a book really soon. I make the world’s biggest fuss about birthdays – try to get a good week out of them, if poss – so I’m looking forward to having these on the big day. Lisa x
Lisa, you have just made my morning (which of course is week two of my birthday celebrations) – thank you and pleased to know I am not the only one…! xx
Just made this they taste as good as they look yumm!
Oh I am really pleased you like them and you made them! xxx
Yay! Thanks, been waiting for this recipe. How do you make your own caramel? Also, is dulce de leche the same thing as tinned caramel? Thanks!!!
They look fab Holly,will definately make them!!