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There is something about the combination of cashews and caramel that is just so, so right.

This recipe has a bunch of steps (it’s really a three-recipes-in-one deal, after all) but everything is quick and easy to whip up. It won’t take nearly as long as you might think, and the result is totally worth it. The cupcakes are laced with a little vanilla to let the flavour of the saucy caramel center shine through; instead of icing, I opted to sprinkle each cake with a helping of caramel-covered cashews, which are so good they come close to stealing the show! This is definitely a caramel concoction that will make you go mmm.

If your sweet tooth is attacking full scale, make a double (or quadruple!) batch of Caramel Cashews and smoosh the leftovers into clusters or roll ’em up into balls. Homemade candy is way tastier than the production line stuff ♥

 

Caramel Cashew Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 batch Easy Caramel Sauce (recipe follows)
1 batch Caramel Cashews (recipe follows)
1 1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup golden syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup rice milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
3 tbsp water

Easy Caramel Sauce:

2 tbsp Olivani (or your favourite dairy-free butter substitute)
1 tsp arrowroot
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rice milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
pinch sea salt

Caramel Cashews:

3 tbsp raw cashews pieces
1 tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp rice milk
1/2 tsp Olivani
1/8 tsp sea salt

 

What to do:

For the Caramel Cashews:
Line a dinner plate with baking paper and set aside.

Add cashews, golden syrup, brown sugar, rice milk, Olivani and salt to a small saucepan and cook, stirring regularly, over medium-low heat until mixture begins to simmer. Reduce heat to low and stir constantly until liquid is thickened and greatly reduced, 5-7 minutes.

Pour onto dinner plate, spreading the cashews out so they are mostly in a single layer. Set aside.

For the Easy Caramel Sauce:
Melt Olivani in a small saucepan over low heat. Add arrowroot and whisk together. Add brown sugar and mix well.

Raise heat to medium-hot and slowly add rice milk, stirring frequently. Add vanilla extract and sea salt. Stir regularly, until sauce thickens. Cover and set aside when done.

To make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 180 C.

Add flaxseed and water to a small bowl; whisk thoroughly and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add brown sugar and mix in with a fork.

In another bowl, add milk, golden syrup, canola oil, vanilla extract and flaxseed mixture. Whisk well to combine, about 2 minutes.

Add wet mixture to dry in several batches and mix until just combined. It’s all good if there are a few little lumps here and there!

Line a cupcake tray with paper liners. Spoon mixture into the liners, until 1/4 full. Dollop a spoonful of Easy Caramel Sauce into the centre of each. Spoon more mixture into each liner, until each one is about 2/3 full.

Bake for 15-18 minutes; cupcakes are ready when an inserted knife comes out clean. When cupcakes are still warm (but not hot hot hot), sprinkle a cluster of caramel cashews on top of each one.

Dust ’em with icing sugar when they have cooled. Viola!

Makes 6-10 muffins.