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Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 56 reviews

Delight in these indulgent Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes featuring rich, moist chocolate cupcakes filled with gooey caramel sauce and topped with a luscious caramel buttercream frosting. Perfectly balanced flavors of cocoa and caramel wrapped in a tender crumb make these cupcakes an irresistible treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cupcakes

  • 130 g plain flour (all purpose flour) (1 cup / 4.6 oz)
  • 40 g Dutch process cocoa powder (⅓ cup / 1.4 oz)
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda (bicarb soda)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 113 g unsalted butter, melted (½ cup / 4 oz / 1 stick)
  • ½ cup white granulated sugar (100 g / 3 ½ oz)
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar (100 g / 3 ½ oz)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup buttermilk (180 ml)

For the Caramel

  • 250 g store-bought chewy caramels (~9 oz)
  • ½ cup thickened cream (heavy cream) (125 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes (optional)

For the Caramel Buttercream

  • 170 g unsalted butter, softened (6 oz / 1 ½ sticks / ¾ cup)
  • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (8 tsp)
  • 2–2 ½ cups icing sugar (powdered sugar) (260 g – 325 g / ~9.2 – 11 ½ oz)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons thickened cream (heavy cream)
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Muffin Tins: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / 350°F and line your muffin tins with paper cases to prepare for baking the cupcakes.
  2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the plain flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine thoroughly.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients and Sugars: In a separate bowl or stand mixer, beat the melted butter with both white granulated sugar and dark brown sugar until smooth and well combined.
  4. Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition and beating well. Then add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
  5. Incorporate Dry and Wet Mixtures: Add one-third of the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture and gently stir until just combined. Add half of the buttermilk and mix gently again. Repeat this alternating process until all the flour mixture and buttermilk are incorporated, being careful not to overmix to avoid dense cupcakes.
  6. Fill and Bake: Fill the cupcake cases about two-thirds full with the batter. Bake for 18-23 minutes, turning the pan halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Check doneness by inserting a skewer; it should come out with just a few crumbs attached.
  7. Cool Cupcakes: Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  8. Prepare Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan over low heat, combine unwrapped caramels and thickened cream. Stir continuously until the caramels melt completely and the mixture is smooth. Add sea salt flakes if desired. Allow caramel sauce to cool before using.
  9. Make Caramel Buttercream: Beat softened butter with dark brown sugar for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add ½ cup (125 ml) of cooled caramel sauce, vanilla extract, and fine sea salt (if using), and beat to combine.
  10. Add Icing Sugar: Gradually add ¼ of the icing sugar at a time on low speed, reserving ½ cup to adjust consistency as needed. Once fully incorporated, beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
  11. Finish Buttercream: Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of thickened cream and beat for another 30-40 seconds until smooth and fluffy.
  12. Core Cupcakes: Using a cupcake corer or paring knife, cut a small hole in the center of each cupcake and fill with 1-2 teaspoons of caramel sauce. Replace the cut-out cake pieces on top if desired.
  13. Pipe Frosting and Garnish: Pipe the caramel buttercream onto the cupcakes. Drizzle leftover caramel sauce and melted chocolate over the top for decoration.
  14. Serve and Enjoy: Serve the cupcakes once frosted and garnished, and enjoy the rich combination of chocolate and caramel flavors.

Notes

  • For accurate results, always weigh ingredients where weights are provided.
  • If you prefer less sweet, adjust the amount of caramel used in filling and frosting accordingly.
  • Make sure not to overmix the batter to avoid dense cupcakes.
  • Use room temperature eggs to help the batter combine smoothly.
  • Baking times may vary depending on your oven; begin checking cupcakes at 18 minutes.
  • Sea salt flakes in the caramel and buttercream are optional but add a nice contrast.
  • Leftover caramel sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Keywords: caramel chocolate cupcakes, chocolate cupcakes, caramel buttercream, caramel filled cupcakes, chocolate dessert, homemade cupcakes

Find it online: https://famdishes.com/caramel-chocolate-cupcakes-recipe/