If holiday-themed drinks have got you excited for the season and looking to that post-exam haven then these cupcakes will put you in an even bigger festive mood.

The sweet and soft texture of these salted caramel cupcakes is really competing for my affections with the salted caramel latte. From Starbucks to CoGro to the Tea Room, these festive drinks have prompted me to experiment myself with their dessert counterpart.

So if you’re in need of a serious savoury indulgence then this recipe will be sure to satisfy your sweet craving.

Serving: 12-16 cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (or cake flour works even better)
• ¾ teaspoon of baking powder
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of dark brown sugar
• ½ cup of white sugar
• ½ cup of unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 large eggs, left at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• ½ cup of whole milk (or heavy cream or half-and-half)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Celsius and line pan with cupcake paper. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients, including flour, baking powder and salt then set aside.
   
3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer cream butter and brown and white sugar until a fluffy texture in achieved. Add eggs and vanilla then combine.
   
4. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet mixture. Ensure ingredients are well-combined then add milk and aim not to over mix.
   
5. Fill batter 2/3 of cupcake liners.
6. Bake for 20 minutes until cupcakes are a light golden brown (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

Salted caramel frosting

This frosting adds that extra decorative touch and transforms these savoury treats into irresistible temptations. The balance between salty and sweet also enhances the cupcakes and adds that extra oomph.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of salted butter
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 2/3 cups of powdered sugar

Instructions:

1. On low-medium heat, use a medium-sized pan to melt butter then add sugar and heavy cream. Whisk mixture constantly until sugar is completely melted. Let it bubble over for 1-2 minutes. Congrats, you’ve made homemade caramel!
   
2. Set mixture aside and allow to cool for 15 minutes or however needed.
3. Using a hand mixer, combine caramel and powdered sugar half cup at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Feel free to add more cream at your discretion.
   
4. Pipe to your heart’s desire! Or, if you want to give your cupcakes a homier feel, simply use a knife to spread the frosting and add swirls on the top afterwards.

If you can resist eating all of them in one sitting, these cupcakes will last for five days in an air-tight sealed container.

To add a more festive air to these treats, I’d recommend looking for some coloured cupcake paper. If you’re up for being creative, replace the sparse sprinkling of sea salt with a toffee or caramel candy, chocolate shavings or even a classic drizzle of caramel sauce to boost the presentation!

Who says late November isn’t the time for devouring holiday-inspired treats?