House Blend Espresso Caramel Cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a 12 cupcake tray with cases
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together both sugars with the eggs, coffee and oil and mix until combined well.
4. Add half of the dry mixture into the wet mixture and fold together. Add the buttermilk then add the remaining dry mixture and fold through again until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, you only want to mix until you can no longer see any flour bits.
5. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases until they are filled to half-way. Give the tray of cupcakes a tap on the work surface to help remove any big air bubbles.
6. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes until well risen and springy to touch. Once baked leave the cupcakes to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then remove and leave them to cool on a wire rack.

For the coffee caramel buttercream:

1. In a medium bowl, add the butter and beat it to soften a little. Add the icing sugar gradually until it's all mixed together.
2. Keep beating until it's light and creamy, then add a splash of milk, 2 tbsp caramel sauce and the coffee. Beat well until smooth.

To decorate:

1. Using the wide end of a piping nozzle cut out holes in the centre of each cupcake.
2. Fit a piping bag with an open star piping nozzle and fill it with the coffee caramel buttercream. Pipe buttercream into the centre of each cupcake, followed by a drizzle of caramel sauce.
3. Then top each cupcake with a generous swirl of buttercream and decorate with Whittard Chocolate Coated Coffee Beans

Store in an airtight container and east within 3 days.