Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes

Cake:

• 125ml (½ cup) milk
• 75g (⅓ cup) CSR Brown Sugar
• 100g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 75g unsalted butter, chopped
• 80ml (⅓ cup) buttermilk, well shaken
• 1 egg
• 150g (1 cup) White Wings Plain Flour
• ½ tsp bicarb soda
• 1 packet CSR Vanilla Buttercream Icing Mixture

Caramel Popcorn:

• 60g butter
• 55g CSR Caster Sugar
• 30g maple syrup
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 2 cups popcorn

1. Preheat oven to 160°C, fan-forced. Line ten 1/3 cup (80mL) muffin pans with patty cases. Combine milk, sugar, chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 mins until melted and combined.
2. Remove from the heat, cool slightly then whisk in the buttermilk and egg. Transfer to a large bowl, sift in the flour and bicarb, then whisk until smooth. Transfer to a large jug.
3. Pour mixture evenly among patty cases. Bake for 20 mins or until cooked through. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. For caramel popcorn, combine butter, sugar and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and then cook for 3-4 mins until caramelised. Add the popped popcorn and salt and stir to coat. Spread out over a baking tray lined with baking paper to cool.
5. Prepare CSR Vanilla Buttercream as directed. Transfer buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm star nozzle. Pipe on top of cupcakes. Decorate with caramel popcorn to serve.