Sticky Toffee Cupcakes

Sticky toffee pudding is one of my favourite desserts; the moist, sticky sweetness is just irresistible. After the success of Cookie Dough Cupcakes from Making Cupcakes With Lola, I decided to try another of their recipes. The cake part is essentially sticky toffee pudding - delicious. The topping is not the traditional butterscotch sauce but a luscious mixture of home made rum-infused toffee with white chocolate ganache. It certainly puts the 'sticky' in sticky toffee! If you don't already own the book, this is just one reason to buy it, as it's filled with loads more delicious recipes like this one. If you like sticky toffee pudding, you'll love these cupcakes. 

Sticky Toffee Cupcakes
(Making Cupcakes With Lola)
180g chopped pitted dates  
2 tbsp golden syrup
130ml boiling water
200g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g unsalted butter
160g muscovado sugar (I used dark)
2 medium free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

rum toffee ganache 

200g caster sugar

50g unsalted butter

150ml double cream

2 tsp dark rum

300g white chocolate, chopped

200g icing sugar 

Preheat oven to 190C. Put the chopped dates, golden syrup and the boiling water into a bowl and leave to soak until the water has cooled to room temperature. 

Meanwhile, sift the flour and baking powder together into a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat in one at a time, then add the vanilla. 

Break the dates up with a fork. Slowly add the sifted dry ingredients and the date mixture to the mixing bowl and beat on a low speed until smooth - I switched to a wooden spatula for this. Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cakes and bake for 15-20 minutes or until well risen. Cool on a wire rack.

for the topping

Scatter the caster sugar over the bottom of a heavy base saucepan, set over medium heat. Do not stir. (You'll want to, but don't.) When the sugar has melted and starts turning an amber colour, remove the heat and stir in the butter. Add 3 tbsp of the double cream and the rum and whisk until smooth. Let it cool to room temperature. 

Meanwhile, put the remaining cream in a saucepan over a medium heat and heat until it starts bubbling around the edges. Remove from the heat and stir in the white chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted. Leave to cool to room temperature. When both the toffee and white chocolate ganache has cooled, mix them together. Finally, mix in the icing sugar and chill for 10 minutes. (Next time, I'll chill the topping for a little longer so it holds it's shape). Spread over the cooled cakes.