Beetroot and California Walnut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
Course Dessert
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 20 minutesminutes
Total Time 45 minutesminutes
Servings 12cupcakes
Calories 477kcal
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
170gvacuum-packed cooked beetroot
2eggs
140mlwalnut oil
1tspvanilla essence
170gplain flour
1½tspbaking powder
3tbspcocoa powder
Pinchof salt
70gsoft brown sugar
100ggolden caster sugar
3tbspchopped California walnuts
For the caramelised California walnuts:
60gwhite caster
1 ½tbspliquid glucose
12California walnut halves
For the frosting:
125gbutter
125gcream cheese
Splash of milk
250gicing sugar
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Place the beetroot, eggs, walnut oil and vanilla essence into a blender and blitz until smooth.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, salt, soft brown sugar and golden caster sugar into a large bowl.
Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry with an electric hand whisk until fully combined. Stir the chopped California walnuts into the batter.
Line a 12-hole muffin tray with cupcake cases and divide the cake batter between the cases. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until risen and cooked through, then leave aside to cool.
Place the white caster sugar and liquid glucose into a small pan over a medium heat, swirling the pan from time to time until the sugar liquefies and turns a lovely golden caramel colour.
Carefully dip the California walnut halves into the caramel, removing them individually with a spoon, and placing them on a sheet of baking parchment making sure they are separated. Leave aside to cool down.
To make the frosting, place the butter into a large mixing bowl and whisk with an electric whisk until white and fluffy. Add the icing sugar, cream cheese and milk and whisk until just combined.
Fit a piping bag with a large open nozzle and pipe a circle of icing on the top of each. Top each cupcake with a caramel-coated walnut to serve.