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Note on cupcakes: You need a decent, rich, thick cupcake recipe. While fluffy cupcakes are nice, you need a thick base for these cakes I used a Martha Stewart recipe but you could use your favourite recipe or a box mix.
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To assemble the cauldrons:
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Makes the cakes however you choose. Allow to cool completely.
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Turn cupcakes over so the bottom is facing up. Using a knife, cut holes into each cupcakes. Make sure the holes are relatively big and deep. Turn cupcakes back so they are standing the normal way.
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Make the chocolate glaze for the cauldron bottoms by melting the chocolate and butter over low heat until thick and well combined. Allow to cool slightly off heat so it thickens slightly. Then, dip the top of each cupcake into the glaze.
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Once all the cupcake tops have been covered in glaze, place three bittersweet chocolate chips on each cupcake, making the shape of a triangle. These chips act as the cauldron bottom's feet. Place the cupcakes in the fridge and allow the glaze to set completely.
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Once the glaze has set, turn the cupcakes back around, so they are sitting on their cauldron bottoms.
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For the filling:
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Using a spoon, place caramel into each of the holes in the cupcakes, making sure the caramel piles up on top of the cupcake. As the buttercream will be going around the outside of the caramel on the leftover cupcake top, you want to caramel to pile high above the buttercream.
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Once each cupcake hole has been filled, place cupcakes in fridge while you make the buttercream.
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For the buttercream icing:
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Simply combine all of the buttercream ingredients together and cream with a mixer until smooth. The mixture should be a light brown, very smooth and creamy.
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Using a flat knife, gently frost the remaining top of the cupcakes with the buttercream. The buttercream should simply make a circle around the caramel filling, with the caramel piled above the buttercream. Then, sprinkle whatever decorations you please over the caramel. I used a variety.
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Place the cupcakes in the fridge for another few minutes while you prepare the cauldron handles.
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For the cauldron handles:
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Place a flat tray in the freezer for no longer than 5 minutes. When removed, cover in wax paper and lightly coat the wax paper in oil spray. Melt the chocolate melts together and place into a piping bag. If you don't have a piping bag, place the chocolate into a sandwich bag and squeeze the chocolate into one corner. Cut off one end of the bag and pipe the chocolate out that way.
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Before you pipe out the handles, measure the distance you need between each handle (I needed a 4- 4 1/2 cm distance between each side of the handle). Using a ruler, measure out the correct handle width and then pipe out the handles on the cold wax paper. Simply make a U-shape in the necessary width with the melted chocolate. Using a cold tray helps the handles to set faster.
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Place the handles in the fridge to set. Once set, remove both the handles and the cupcakes. It won't take too long. The buttercream should be slightly set by now.
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To complete the assembly, gently pry the handles from the wax paper and place into cupcakes. As you will be placing the handles into buttercream and then into the cupcake itself, to make the handles stay in place, make indents into the buttercream and cupcake with a knife. Place the handle into the small indent you made with the knife. It will help to keep the handles up straight.
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Once the handles are in, return the cupcakes to the fridge to set once more. Again, this will not take long.
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Serve the cupcakes cold and store in refrigerator.
