Description
These Gooey Salted Caramel Cupcakes are a decadent treat featuring moist chocolate cupcakes filled with rich salted caramel sauce and topped with smooth cream cheese frosting. Perfect for chocolate and caramel lovers alike, these cupcakes offer a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors with a luscious, gooey center.
Ingredients
Scale
Cupcake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Filling
- 3/4 cup salted caramel sauce
Frosting
- 1 cup cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- 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 to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter until fluffy. Gradually add the granulated and brown sugars, mixing well to combine into a smooth, creamy base.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Incorporate eggs one at a time into the butter and sugar mixture, ensuring each egg is fully mixed before adding the next; then add the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly pour in the milk and gently mix until combined. Next, fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients carefully to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the cupcakes.
- Assemble the Cupcakes: Spoon half of the cupcake batter into each lined muffin cup. Add a spoonful of salted caramel sauce over the batter in each cup, then cover with the remaining batter, ensuring the caramel is sealed inside.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cupcakes; it should come out clean without wet batter.
- Cool and Frost: Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before topping each with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting to complement the caramel and chocolate flavors.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened at room temperature for easier creaming with the sugars.
- Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added to keep cupcakes light and fluffy.
- Cool cupcakes completely before frosting to prevent melting the cream cheese frosting.
- Use homemade or high-quality salted caramel sauce for best flavor.
- Store frosted cupcakes in the refrigerator due to the cream cheese frosting and bring to room temperature before serving for best taste.
