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Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling & frosting time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 16
Moist and fluffy chocolate cupcakes with a salted caramel frosting and more caramel drizzled on top.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • ¾ cup granulated cane sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup milk, at room temperature

Caramel Sauce

  • ¼ cup granulated cane sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Salted Caramel Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2¼ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 5 tbsp caramel sauce, from ingredients in section above

Instructions

Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and line 1-2 cupcake pans with liners. This recipe makes 14-16 standard cupcakes.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set this aside for now.
  • Add the cocoa powder to a separate, heatproof bowl, and pour the boiling water over it. Use a fork to stir until the cocoa powder is dissolved. Let this cool down until just warm to the touch.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, cane sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Then whisk in the cooled chocolate, sour cream, and milk until smooth and mostly lump-free.
  • Divide the batter between the cupcake tins, filling to ¾ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Let the cupcakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Caramel Sauce

  • While the cupcakes are cooling, make the caramel sauce. This will be used in the frosting as well as to drizzle on top.
  • Add the cane sugar, brown sugar, and salt into a small saucepan over slightly higher than medium heat. Melt the sugar, stirring constantly, until it is fully dissolved. It may take around 4-5 minutes.
  • Add in the butter. Continue stirring until the butter if fully melted and combined. It helps if you cut the butter up into pieces prior to this so that it melts evenly.
  • Pour in the heavy whipping cream, and continue stirring frequently. Continue cooking and stirring for another 2-3 minutes, or until sauce is starting to thicken. Once it starts to thicken, quickly stir in the vanilla, remove it from the heat, and transfer it to a separate bowl to cool. The caramel will continue to thicken as it cools.
  • Let the caramel cool down until it is no more than slightly warm to the touch.

Salted Caramel Frosting

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, salt, and sugar together on medium-low speed to combine them.
  • Add 5 tbsp of the caramel sauce you made and the vanilla.
  • Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat the frosting until it is light and fluffy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
  • Frost the cupcakes using either a piping bag or knife.
  • Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce on top using a spoon. If the sauce has hardened, microwave it for 10-15 seconds until it is runnier. Enjoy!
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