Snickers Cupcakes

The only candy bar that really followed me into adulthood is a Snickers bar, fun-sized to be safe! Something about the chocolate and the peanuts together is just irresistible and turning those same flavours into a somewhat grown-up cupcake avatar was second nature. Soft dark chocolate cake with a creamy, not cloyingly sweet peanut butter frosting, a generous drizzle of salted caramel and some salty roasted peanuts to top it all off. It’s just so good!

• 3/4th cup all-purpose flour (90 gms)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt if using unsalted butter
• 100 gms 70% to 75% dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature (115 gms)
• 3/4th cup brown sugar (160 gms)
• 1 egg, at room temperature (see notes)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup freshly boiled water (125 ml)

• 1/2 cup caster sugar (90 gms)
• 3 tbsps salted butter, at room temp, cut into small pieces (42 gms)
• 1/4th cup whipping cream, at room temp (60 ml)
• Extra pinch of salt, optional