GUINNESS MUFFIN WITH SALTY CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients

• 125 ml (½ cup) Guinness beer or any dark milk stout
• 125 ml butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
• 2 tots cocoa powder
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 tots sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup plain flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

FOR THE CARAMEL:

• 1 cup sugar
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) salted butter
• 125 ml (½ cup) fresh cream
• salt flakes

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Spray your muffin tray with non stick cooking spray or brush with butter or oil.
2. Place the Guinness and butter in a pan over a medium heat. Stir gently until the butter has melted. Add the cocoa powder and sugar together into the pan and stir until all the sugar is dissolved, and place this mixture into a separate mixing bowl.
3.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg and vanilla, then pour this into the Guinness mix, whisking as you go. Add the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda and whisk this into the mixture until smooth and combined. 
4. Pour the batter into the muffin tray and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before gently turning them out.
5. To make the caramel: Place the sugar in your potjie and heat over high heat, as the sugar begins to melt stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The sugar will form clumps but just keep stirring and lower the heat. Keep stirring until all the sugar has melted.
6. As soon as all of the sugar has melted, add the butter to the pan and keep stirring with your wooden spoon. Then add the cream and remove the pot from the heat and keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and thick.
7. Serve the cupcakes warm with a drizzle of the caramel and add some salt flakes on top. Serve with a side serving of plain yogurt or fresh cream to balance out the sweetness.