How to Make Caramel Shortcake Cupcakes

A very bold statement, but my favorite cake (biscuit?) is definitely the caramel shortcake. I have made these at home before but they can be messy and time consuming especially if you make your own caramel.
As I started creating my own cupcakes I thought I would merge my two favorite sweet treats to create the caramel shortcake cupcake!
Using light brown sugar instead of the usual caster sugar gives the cake a slightly richer, caramel flavour which goes really well with the chocolate butter cream and caramel centre.

To create 12 decadent cupcakes, you will need:

150g margarine (I used Stork)
150g light brown sugar
3 eggs
150g self raising flour
1tsp vanilla extract

Filling

12tsp Nestle Carnation Caramel (1 per cupcake)

Icing

150g unsalted butter
300g icing sugar
100g milk chocolate of choice (I used Galaxy)
1-2tbsp boiling water (as required)

12 mini caramel shortcakes (you can get these in most supermarkets in the bakery section)

Method

1. Line a muffin tray with 12 cupcake liners and preheat the oven to 160C fan
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until combined.
4. Gradually mix in the eggs and self raising flour until smooth.
5. Mix in the vanilla extract. If the mixture is a little thick, add in a tbsp of milk at a time until it is at a consistency you like.
6. Split the mixture into the 12 cupcake cases and put in the oven for 15 minutes. Ovens may take longer or shorter time than others so check that your cupcakes are ready by inserting a skewer into a cupcake to see if it comes out clean.
Once ready, place cupcakes on a wire rack to cook completely.
7. Cut a small hole in the top of the cupcakes and put in a tsp of caramel into each one. You can put the top of the cupcake on top of the caramel, reserve it for a crumble topping or discard it. The choice is yours!
8. To make the icing, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring each time, to stop the chocolate from burning. Once completely melted, set aside to cool slightly.
9. Cream the butter and gradually add the icing sugar until combined.
10. slowly add the melted chocolate and mix. If the mixture is thick, add a tbsp of boiling water at a time until smooth. Remember, the icing still needs to be slightly think to pipe.
11. Put the icing into a piping bag with a tip of your choice and pipe on to the cooled cupcakes.
12. Top the cupcakes with a mini caramel shortcake and drizzle with left over caramel.
13. Enjoy and try not to dribble the caramel :P