Milo Cupcakes with Condensed Milk Icing

I am in LOVE with these cupcakes. How could I not be? They are full of milo-ey goodness and dripping with condensed milk. They are AWESOME. And if you are like me, and like Milo (and cupcakes), you have to make these. I grew up with Milo, as most Malaysians do. Did you know that in Malaysia, Milo supposedly has a 90% brand share of their market? That is a lot of Malaysians drinking Milo every day. Though over there you tend to hear it pronounced as 'Mee-low' rather than 'My-low', which I think is a much cuter name :)

So it's been a while since I last made cupcakes. I've had the idea for this flavour sitting in my head for a little bit, and as soon as I ordered these adorable silicon tea cupcake moulds online I knew that I had to make these Milo cupcakes in them. (EDIT: For those wondering, I got my teacupcake moulds from Urban Outfitters, here) I wanted them to be chock full of malty chocolate flavour, with a sticky sweetened condensed milk buttercream on top. If you have not had the pleasure of enjoying a Milo with sweetened condensed milk, you haven't LIVED yet. I was a little nervous since I was just sort of making up the recipe as I went. But luckily, they turned out even better than I had hoped.

The batter has quite a bit of sour cream which stops it from being dry. Because of the sour cream, I had the confidence to leave my cupcakes in the oven until they had a nice golden crust on top, so they had a little bit of crunch on the outside while still being fluffy and soft in the middle. And they smelt incredible. SO GOOD!!! And then I used some lightly salted butter for my buttercream, rather than just plain unsalted butter, which stopped it from being too toothachingly sweet from the sweetened condensed milk. And then on top of these cupcakes I drizzled a little bit of extra condensed milk and Milo. Even though I had only made a small batch and was supposed to save them so I could photograph them, I immediately scoffed one within minutes of icing them. And then I did a little dance around my kitchen.

Milo Cupcakes with Condensed Milk Icing
(makes 10-12 cupcakes)
200g plain flour
200g caster sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
150-200g Milo (adjust to taste, I take it by the bucketful)
1 tsp vanilla extract
180g sour cream
170g unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs

150g slightly salted butter (or unsalted + a pinch of salt)
300g icing sugar, sifted
5 tbsp sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Fill cupcake tray with liners. If using a food processor, place flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb, Milo, vanilla, sour cream, butter, sour cream and eggs in the food processor and pulse until the mixture is combined and smooth.

If not using a food processor, sift flour, bicarb and baking powder in a bowl and set aside. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl and then beat in eggs one at a time until combine. Add sour cream, vanilla and milo and beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Fill cupcake liners until 3/4 full and bake for approx 15-20 mins or a skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. For the best texture, the cakes should be dark golden brown on top and firm to the touch and after cooling for 1 minute out of the oven. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, remove butter from the fridge 30 mins ahead of time. Beat butter until light and fluffy and then beat in icing sugar until combined. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until combined.

Pipe or spoon over the top of cupcakes when they are cooled and drizzle some extra condensed milk over the top. Finish with a sprinkle of Milo. Can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge overnight.