So when my best friend asked me to make the cake for her wedding, I said yes. Then I thought about making a cake that would feed approximately 80 guests. I had originally planned it to be three layers with each layer feeding approximately 20 people. This meant that the cake would only feed 60. I thought about adding another layer to the cake, but then again that might just have made it topple over {three layers caused it to lean a little on the hot wedding day}. So, I decided to whip up some ‘just in case’ cupcakes – because who doesn’t love a cupcake?
These cupcakes are my standard ‘go-to’ simple chocolate cupcake – topped with the easiest vanilla buttercream icing and salted caramel popcorn using the best home popcorn maker. { because SALTED CARAMEL POPCORN}.
I found the cutest little cupcake wrapper at Wheel & Barrow Homewares, after the bride sent me searching for orange cupcake wrappers. I thought that they were extremely good value at $5 for 50 cupcake wrappers.
- 2 cups water
- 3 cups caster sugar
- 250 grams of butter
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 3 cups of self-raising flour
- 4 eggs
- 250 grams of butter
- 500 grams of icing sugar
- 2 tbsp of vanilla bean paste
- spray oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup popcorn kernels
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- 60 g butter
- 2 tbsp salt flakes
- 2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Combine the water, sugar, butter and combined sifted cocoa and soda in a medium saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat, simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cool to room temperature.
- Add flour and eggs to the mixture. Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and changed to a paler colour. Distribute the mixture evenly between the cupcake wrappers.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Beat the butter until it becomes lighter in colour. Add the vanilla bean paste and continue to beat. Slowly add the icing sugar, one cup at a time, making sure that it is mixed completely before adding more. Once the cupcakes have cooled, you are able to pipe the buttercream on.
- Spray inside of a large saucepan and 2 rubber spatulas with oil, set the spatulas aside. This will allow you to work easily and quickly with the caramel later.
- Heat the oil in the greased saucepan and heat over a medium to high heat. Add a couple of corn kernels, place the lid on the pot and swirl over the heat until the kernels pop. When they pop, remove from the pot and add the remaining corn kernels, cover and give the pan a swirl. Once the kernels begin to pop swirl the pan around over the heat until the popping stops, remove from the heat, remove the lid and set aside.
- In a large saucepan combine the sugar, water, butter, salt and vanilla bean paste. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Do not allow the mixture to boil at this stage. Brush down the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush to make sure there are no sugar crystals. Once all of the sugar has dissolved, bring to the boil and boil without disturbing until the caramel is golden brown.
- Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss well with the oiled spatulas. Pour onto 2 large lined trays and press out with the oiled spatulas, allow to set at room temperature. Once hard and cold, break into bite-size pieces and store in an airtight container until ready to top your cupcakes.
Do you normally eat the wedding cake? Would you rather a cupcake or a slice of cake at a wedding/birthday party/event? If you decide that you’re going to whip up these sweet treats, I would love for you to snap a photo and share it on social media with the hashtag #goodfoodweek.
Oh wow, Shari! Cupcakes + buttercream + salted caramel popcorn = bliss!! I hope your friend’s wedding day went well. You must have been super busy making a whole lot of these!
It was super busy getting all of the cake elements together {with two little ones}, and we also did all of the flowers on the day – but it was a beautiful day that we all enjoyed.