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Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Name: Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 19 min
Total time: 109 min
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.0 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder; 1.0 cup granulated sugar; 0.75 tsp baking soda; 0.5 tsp baking powder; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 1.0 large egg; 0.5 cup buttermilk; 0.333 cup vegetable oil; 2.0 tsp pure vanilla extract; 0.5 cup hot coffee; 0.75 cup thick caramel sauce, at room temperature; 0.75 cup heavy cream, cold; 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt; 1.0 tsp VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract; 1.0 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks); 4.0 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted; 1.0 tbsp heavy cream, plus more as needed; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 0.333 cup caramel sauce, room temperature; 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt; 2.0 tsp VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract

Dark chocolate cupcakes with a hidden center of salted caramel and a salted caramel buttercream on top. Core them after they cool completely so the caramel stays inside.

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What it's made of

CupcakesChocolate Cupcakes

Center fillingSalted Caramel Filling

FrostingSalted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes Active 1 hr 4 minChill or rest 45 minParts 3

Contains milk, egg, wheat (check labels)

Each part is a full recipe as written; the Dessert Builder scales them to fit this cupcakes and merges the shopping list. Open it with the button above to adjust servings or swap any part.

Ingredients

Chocolate CupcakesCupcakes · makes 12 cupcakes

1.0 cupall-purpose flour (125.0 g)
0.5 cupDutch-process cocoa powder (45.0 g)
1.0 cupgranulated sugar (200.0 g)
0.75 tspbaking soda (4.0 g)
0.5 tspbaking powder (2.0 g)
0.25 tspfine sea salt (1.5 g)
1.0 large egg (50.0 g)
0.5 cupbuttermilk (120.0 ml)
0.333 cupvegetable oil (80.0 ml)
2.0 tsppure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)
0.5 cuphot coffee (120.0 ml)

Salted Caramel FillingCenter filling · makes 12 doughnuts

0.75 cupthick caramel sauce, at room temperature (225.0 g)
0.75 cupheavy cream, cold (180.0 ml)
0.5 tspflaky sea salt
1.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (5.0 ml)

Salted Caramel Buttercream FrostingFrosting · makes 24 cupcakes

1.0 cupunsalted butter, softened (2 sticks) (227.0 g)
4.0 cupsconfectioners' sugar, sifted (480.0 g)
1.0 tbspheavy cream, plus more as needed (15.0 ml)
0.25 tspfine sea salt
0.333 cupcaramel sauce, room temperature (100.0 g)
0.5 tspflaky sea salt
2.0 tspVanillaGoods pure vanilla extract (10.0 ml)

Method

1. Chocolate Cupcakesfull recipe

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Whisk the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla, stir into the dry ingredients, then stir in the hot coffee; the batter is thin.
Divide the batter between the liners, about two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 21 minutes until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then on a rack.

2. Salted Caramel Fillingfull recipe

Stir the caramel sauce with the vanilla and flaky salt until smooth.
Whip the cream to stiff peaks, then fold in the caramel in two additions; it should stay thick enough to hold a ribbon.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a long filling tip. Poke a small hole in the side of each cooled doughnut and pipe in about 2 tablespoons, until the doughnut feels heavy.

3. Salted Caramel Buttercream Frostingfull recipe

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.
With the mixer on low, add the confectioners' sugar and salt about 1 cup at a time, then add the cream, caramel sauce, flaky sea salt, and vanilla. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, if needed for a smooth, spreadable frosting.
Use right away, or cover and keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours; beat briefly before using.

4. Put it together

Bake the Chocolate Cupcakes and cool completely in the pan for 10 minutes, then on a rack.
Make the Salted Caramel Filling and chill it until thick enough to pipe.
Core each cupcake: cut a cone about 3/4 inch wide and three-quarters of the way down with a paring knife or an apple corer. Trim the cones into lids.
Pipe or spoon the Salted Caramel Filling into each hole, set the lids back on and press gently.
Make the Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting and pipe or spread it over each cupcake.