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Photograph of Banana Sticky Toffee Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Banana Sticky Toffee Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Heavenly sticky toffee cupcakes loaded with bananas, a caramel surprise in the centre and topped by a velvety, salted caramel buttercream frosting. Makes 6

Course afternoon tea, Morning Coffee, treat
Cuisine British
Keyword banana, cupcakes, salted caramel, sticky toffee
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Author Susan

Ingredients

Banana Sticky Toffee Cupcakes:

  • 25g pecan nuts – replace with the same weight in flour if you are allergic
  • 50g dates
  • 65g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 65g dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 65g plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 tablespoon treacle
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 100g very ripe banana (roughly 1 medium sized banana)

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting:

  • 65g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 135g Nestlé tinned caramel
  • 200g icing sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
  • 6 complete pecan halves for decoration

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. First make the Banana Sticky Toffee Cupcakes: preheat the oven to Fan Oven 160°C/180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

  3. Scatter the pecan nuts for the cake and the 6 extra for decoration on a baking tray and roast for 7 minutes, stirring them after 4 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, weigh in the butter, sugar, egg, flour, baking powder, salt, treacle and vanilla extract.

  5. Finely chop the dates and add to the mixing bowl.

  6. Mash the banana and also add to the mixing bowl.

  7. When the nuts have cooked, remove the 6 pecans you need for decorating, and then pulse the remainder in a mini food processor until they are finely ground.

  8. Finally add the ground nuts to the mixing bowl.

  9. Beat with an electric whisk until fully combined – the batter may look like it is separating a little but don’t worry – it cooks up perfectly!

  10. Fill a muffin tray with 6 muffin liners and divide half of the cupcake mix between them. Add between ½ – 1 teaspoon caramel to the centre of each cupcake.

  11. Top with remaining cake mix, covering the caramel.

  12. Cook in the centre of a preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes or until cooked.

  13. They are cooked when:

    - the centre feels springy when lightly touched with your finger and no imprint remains

    - a toothpick inserted into the centre of the sponge comes out clean.

  14. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack.

  15. Make the buttercream: Weigh the butter into a mixing bowl with the caramel and half the icing sugar. Quickly fold together and then beat well with an electric whisk. NB If the butter is a little hard, beat first before adding the remaining ingredients – it will be much easier and make a lot less mess!

  16. Fold in remaining icing sugar and then beat with the whisk again until completely mixed in and light and fluffy.

  17. Fold in the salt, taste and adjust, if necessary.

  18. Decorate the cakes: when the cakes have completely cooled, you can add the frosting. Fill a piping bag with the buttercream.

  19. Pipe onto the cupcakes in a swirly pattern or simply spread on with a knife.

  20. Decorate with some complete roasted pecan halves

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • mixing bowl
  • electric whisk
  • muffin tin with 6 muffin/cupcake liners