Caramel chip and walnut cupcake

Caramel chips and walnut is a clever combination.

I have put off baking for quite a while because everyone is on some kind of diet or other. But when I appeared at a social gathering recently with nothing but 2 boxes of diet-friendly strawberries, some of the folks were almost rummaging through the plastic bag looking for a hidden strawberry related baked food.

I looked sheepish after the second “ So, what did you bake today ?”

On the good side, I think my friends enjoyed my baking so some re-evaluation needs to be done. Luckily in this world of dieting folks, there are many who still wish to enjoy the good stuff.

I exercised moderation as shown in this tiniest of cupcakes. Each little snack always ends with the question, “Should I have another one since the last one did not amount to much”.

The caramel bits has echoes of my favorite biscoff lotus spread here and there. The small footprint of the tiny cupcake is inadequate to showcase the crunchy caramel bits  on the top ( should have taken this with the macro lens and make it into a cupcake specimen ) but trust me, together with the toasted walnut , it is one crunchy cupcake inside and out.

Sweet and crunchy in  a mouthful, what is not to like ?

Makes 18.

Ingredients :

A:

120g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

80g fine sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

B:

150g plain flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

C:

120ml milk

D:

½ cup caramel chips

½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Method :

Preheat oven to 180C.

Cream butter, sugar until pale and light.

Whisk in vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time.

Beat until the mixture is fluffy.

Combine items in B.

Sift in half of dry ingredients ( B ) and whisk.

Add milk. Whisk again.

Repeat the last 2 steps until batter is well mixed.

Fold in ( D ) chips and nuts.

Spoon batter to cupliners until ½ - ¾ full.

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes.

Cake is ready when skewer comes out clean.

Cool well before storing.