Description
These Gooey Salted Caramel Cupcakes are rich, moist chocolate cupcakes filled with luscious salted caramel and topped with smooth, creamy cream cheese frosting. Perfectly balanced between sweet and salty, these cupcakes offer a decadent treat ideal for any celebration or indulgent snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- Salted caramel sauce (about 1/2 cup)
Frosting
- Cream cheese frosting (approximately 2 cups, homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a muffin tin by lining it with cupcake paper liners to ensure easy removal after baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined to create a consistent dry mixture.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until it becomes fluffy. Gradually add the combined granulated and brown sugars, mixing well to create a light and creamy base for the batter.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate the eggs one at a time into the butter and sugar mixture, ensuring each is fully blended before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Add Milk: Gradually pour in the milk, mixing continuously until just combined to maintain a smooth batter.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Take care not to overmix to retain a tender and moist cupcake texture.
- Assemble Cupcakes: Spoon half of the batter into the lined muffin cups, then add about a teaspoon of salted caramel sauce in the center of each. Cover the caramel with the remaining batter to encase the filling.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cupcake (avoiding the caramel center) comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan before removing them for frosting.
- Frost Cupcakes: Once cooled, generously frost each cupcake with cream cheese frosting to complement the rich chocolate and salted caramel flavors.
Notes
- If salted caramel sauce is not available, you can make your own by melting sugar until amber and mixing in butter, cream, and sea salt.
- Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature to achieve the best creaming results with sugar.
- Do not overmix the batter once the dry ingredients are added to prevent dense cupcakes.
- For extra gooeyness, add a bit more caramel sauce in the center, but be sure not to overfill the liners to avoid overflow.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
