Method

• To make cupcakes, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Beat eggs in one at a time, then add pandan paste.
• Sift together cake flour, baking power and salt. Fold in 1/3 of flour mixture
• Fold in ½ of the coconut milk, then another third of flour mixture, alternating until all ingredients are incorporated.
• Portion into lined muffin tin and bake in a preheated oven at 180^oC/350^oF for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from oven and cool.
• Meanwhile, make salted gula melaka caramel: place gula melaka, pandan leaves and water into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat until all the sugar has dissolved and mixture thickens slightly.
• Remove pandan leaves, then turn heat down to low and stir in butter and coconut milk. Keep stirring and boiling until caramel has thickened.
• Remove caramel from heat and stir in salt. Set caramel aside to cool and thicken
• To make buttercream, place 80g of sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar reaches 116^oC
• Meanwhile, whisk egg whites and remaining 40g sugar in an electric mixer until soft peaks
• When sugar has reached the desired temperature, slowly add cooked sugar syrup in a slow and steady stream into the egg whites while the mixer is on high speed
• When all the sugar has been added, keep whipping the meringue until it cools to room temperature
• Once meringue is at room temperature, add in butter a bit at a time into the meringue while whisking at medium speed. When all the butter is added and the mixture is smooth, put buttercream into a piping bag with a star tip
• To assemble cupcakes, make a hole in the middle of each cupcake by using an apple corer. Fill with salted gula melaka caramel, then pipe frosting over the top of the cupcake. Garnish with fresh shredded coconut, then drizzle salted caramel over the top
• Serve at room temperature and enjoy!