Description
These decadent cupcakes feature a rich chocolate base, a gooey salted caramel center, and silky caramel buttercream frosting. A perfect balance of sweet and salty, they are ideal for birthdays, holidays, or indulgent cravings. Each bite offers moist cake, molten filling, and buttery swirls, making them a show-stopping treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Cupcake Batter:
1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120ml) milk
1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120ml) boiling water
For the Caramel Filling:
250g store-bought soft caramels or homemade caramel
1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
For the Caramel Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
1/3 cup salted caramel sauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
Prepare the batter: In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Stir in boiling water last to form a thin batter.
Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Let cool.
Make caramel filling: In a saucepan, melt caramels with heavy cream and sea salt over low heat until smooth. Let cool slightly.
Core cupcakes using a corer or knife. Fill each center with about 2 teaspoons of caramel.
Make buttercream: Beat butter until fluffy. Add powdered sugar gradually, then caramel, vanilla, and cream. Beat until smooth.
Frost cupcakes using a piping bag. Garnish with extra caramel drizzle and flaky sea salt.
Notes
Use room-temperature ingredients for even mixing.
To prevent overbaking, rotate pans halfway through.
Chill frosting for 10 minutes before piping if too soft.
Store filled cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: salted caramel cupcakes, gooey caramel filling, chocolate cupcakes, caramel buttercream, homemade cupcakes, caramel dessert