Decadent Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Indulge in the ultimate dessert experience with these irresistible Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes. This recipe masterfully combines the rich depth of chocolate with the sweet, buttery notes of caramel, creating a dessert that is truly a dream for any caramel enthusiast. Each component is crafted to perfection, promising a symphony of flavors and textures in every single bite.

What makes these cupcakes exceptionally delightful? It’s the harmonious blend of three exquisite elements:

  • A flawlessly moist and tender chocolate cupcake base, boasting a profound chocolate flavor that is both rich and surprisingly light.
  • An incredibly simple yet exquisitely flavorful caramel sauce, made effortlessly using a clever shortcut that delivers astonishing depth.
  • A remarkably creamy and unmistakably caramel-infused caramel buttercream, providing a luxurious finish that melts in your mouth.

Caramel, in its purest form, offers a sweet yet wonderfully complex and deeply satisfying flavor. For those craving an extra layer of sophistication and an even more addictive taste, I’ve included notes within the recipe to transform your caramel into a glorious salted caramel. This subtle addition elevates the flavor profile, creating a perfect balance that will leave you wanting more.

If you’re a fan of decadent desserts, you’ll also adore our chocolate cheesecake cupcakes and this incredible chocolate caramel poke cake. Explore these and more sweet inspirations!

This beloved recipe was originally shared on May 24th, 2018, and has been recently updated with enhanced images and clearer, more detailed instructions to ensure your baking success.

Closeup of a delectable chocolate caramel cupcake, elegantly drizzled with chocolate and caramel, nestled among a batch of equally tempting treats.

Table of Contents

  • Essential Ingredients: What You Need to Know
  • Recommended Kitchen Tools for Perfect Cupcakes
  • Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Expert Tips and Tricks for Baking Success
  • Storage Solutions: Keeping Your Cupcakes Fresh
  • Transforming Them into Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • More Decadent Recipes You’ll Love

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Essential Ingredients: What You Need to Know

All the necessary ingredients meticulously laid out for baking delightful caramel chocolate cupcakes.

For a complete list of ingredients and detailed instructions, please refer to the full recipe card below.

  • Flour: Standard plain flour, also known as all-purpose flour, is perfectly suited for these cupcakes. It provides the ideal structure without making the cupcakes too dense.
  • Dutch Cocoa Powder: While regular unsweetened cocoa powder can be used, Dutch-processed cocoa powder is highly recommended. It’s treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity, resulting in a darker, richer color and a smoother, less bitter chocolate flavor that truly shines in these cupcakes. This small change makes a significant difference.
  • Sugar: Our chocolate cupcakes benefit from a blend of both granulated white sugar and dark brown sugar. Granulated sugar provides sweetness and contributes to the tender crumb, while dark brown sugar adds a deep molasses flavor and extra moisture. If dark brown sugar isn’t available, light brown sugar makes an excellent substitute. For the creamy buttercream, fine icing sugar (powdered sugar) is used to achieve that smooth, velvety texture.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: The combination of both these leavening agents (baking soda is also known as bicarbonate of soda) is crucial for the perfect lift and light, airy texture of these cupcakes. It’s essential not to confuse their quantities, as they react differently and contribute uniquely to the overall rise and tenderness. Baking powder reacts with liquid and heat, while baking soda reacts with an acid (like buttermilk or cocoa).
  • Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred for the cupcakes and buttercream, allowing you to control the salt content in your baking. For the cupcakes, melted butter is used, which contributes to a moist and delicate texture. While you *could* substitute with ⅓ cup of vegetable oil for the cupcakes, they might lose a touch of their inherent richness, which comes from the butter.
  • Eggs: Just standard large eggs are needed. Ensure they are at room temperature, as this helps them incorporate more smoothly into the batter, leading to a more consistent and tender crumb.
  • Buttermilk: This ingredient is a secret weapon for tender and moist cupcakes. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda, promoting a light rise, and its creamy consistency adds richness. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then filling the rest with regular milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly.
  • Vanilla Extract: Far from just a background flavor, high-quality vanilla extract actually intensifies and enhances the chocolate notes in the cupcakes. Always opt for pure vanilla extract over synthetic vanilla essence for superior flavor.
  • Cream: You’ll need thickened cream, heavy cream, or heavy whipping cream for both the caramel sauce and the buttercream. The high fat content of these creams is essential for creating a rich, luscious caramel and a stable, smooth buttercream.
  • Caramels: This recipe features an incredibly easy caramel sauce made from store-bought caramels. My personal favorite, and not a sponsored recommendation, is Werther’s Original soft caramels. They melt beautifully and create a wonderfully flavorful sauce. This hack simplifies the caramel-making process without sacrificing taste.
  • Salt: A touch of salt in the cupcakes balances and intensifies the chocolate flavor. For an exquisite twist, optional sea salt flakes can be added to the caramel to transform these into heavenly salted caramel chocolate cupcakes.

Recommended Kitchen Tools for Perfect Cupcakes

Having the right tools can make all the difference in your baking experience. Here’s a list of kitchen essentials that will help you achieve outstanding results with these caramel chocolate cupcakes:

  • Silicone Muffin Pans: My preferred choice for baking cupcakes, as seen in the images below, are silicone muffin pans. They consistently produce cupcakes with beautifully straight sides, a common query I receive about my baked goods. While a standard metal muffin tin works perfectly fine, silicone offers that extra aesthetic appeal and non-stick convenience.
  • Heavy-Based Saucepan: Essential for preparing the caramel. A saucepan with a heavy base ensures even heat distribution, preventing the caramels from burning or sticking, which is crucial when working with candy.
  • Ice Cream or Cookie Scoop: A medium ice cream scoop or a ¼ cup size cookie scoop is incredibly useful for portioning out the cupcake batter evenly into the liners. This ensures all your cupcakes bake uniformly and look consistent.
  • Stand Mixer or Handheld Electric Beater: For the buttercream, a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment makes the job significantly easier, achieving a light and fluffy consistency with minimal effort. However, a powerful handheld electric beater will also yield excellent results if that’s what you have.
  • Cupcake Corer or Paring Knife: While not strictly essential, a cupcake corer is a handy tool, especially if you frequently bake filled cupcakes. It creates a neat cavity for your caramel filling with ease. If you don’t have one, a small paring knife works just as effectively to remove the center of each cupcake.
  • Spatula: Indispensable for scraping down the sides of bowls, folding ingredients gently, and ensuring everything is thoroughly combined without overmixing.
  • Wire Cooling Rack: Crucial for cooling your freshly baked cupcakes. Allowing them to cool completely on a rack prevents them from becoming soggy at the bottom due and ensures even cooling.

Step-by-Step Guide: Crafting Your Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Creating these delightful chocolate caramel cupcakes involves three main components, but don’t be intimidated—each part is straightforward and surprisingly quick to prepare. This recipe is designed for ease and maximum flavor, making these cupcakes super accessible for bakers of all skill levels.

For a detailed breakdown of all ingredients and precise instructions, scroll down to the full recipe card.

1. Prepare the Caramel Filling

While using a store-bought caramel sauce is always an option, or even a homemade caramel sauce, the method I adore for these moist chocolate cupcakes is a wonderful hybrid approach. It involves a simple yet ingenious hack: melting quality store-bought caramels into a luscious cream, then adding a pinch of salt if you desire a salted caramel. This method yields a caramel sauce that is incredibly smooth, rich, and bursting with authentic flavor without the fuss of traditional caramel making. Once prepared, simply set it aside to cool to room temperature; it will thicken as it cools, achieving the perfect consistency for filling.

Unwrapped caramels and heavy cream gently heating in a saucepan, beginning to melt into a smooth sauce.
The caramel sauce in a saucepan, now smooth and perfectly combined after melting the caramels with cream.

While this particular caramel is exceptionally easy and delicious, it might not be the most budget-friendly option depending on the cost of quality store-bought caramels in your area. Rest assured, you have excellent alternatives. You can opt for a jar of good quality store-bought caramel sauce from your local grocery store, or for a truly homemade touch, consider preparing your own. Using a reliable caramel sauce recipe allows you to craft a rich, luscious caramel from scratch, and you can easily adapt it to create your very own homemade salted caramel sauce for an elevated flavor experience.

2. Craft the Moist Chocolate Cupcake Batter

These chocolate cupcakes are undeniably the most moist and delicious cupcakes you’ll ever bake. And I say that with confidence! I’ve been overwhelmed by the fantastic feedback on this recipe—from countless comments right here on the blog, to glowing reviews on Pinterest, and enthusiastic remarks in person. Everyone agrees: these cupcakes are exceptional. I haven’t altered this recipe one bit since its original creation years ago, a testament to its perfection. They’re consistently fluffy and retain their delightful texture for days after baking. Their moisture content is spot-on, and they deliver a rich, authentic chocolate flavor that’s simply divine. What’s more, they freeze and thaw beautifully, making them perfect for meal prepping desserts or unexpected cravings.

Beyond their incredible taste and texture, they are also incredibly easy to make. Forget the traditional creaming butter and sugar method here. My secret to these consistently moist and delicate chocolate cupcakes lies in using melted butter. This not only enhances their tender crumb but also significantly simplifies the entire baking process, allowing you to achieve bakery-quality results with minimal effort.

Begin by combining all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Sift them together to ensure there are no lumps and that everything is evenly distributed, then set this mixture aside.

Dry ingredients for the chocolate cupcakes, perfectly combined in a bowl, ready for the wet ingredients.

In a separate, larger bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, gently whisk together the melted butter and both types of sugar until they are smooth and well-combined. Next, incorporate the eggs, adding them one at a time. After each egg addition, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly and beat until just combined. This ensures even mixing. Finally, stir in the vanilla extract. The goal here is simply to combine the ingredients, not to whip excessive air into the mixture, which could alter the cupcake’s final texture.

Melted butter, sugars, and eggs, smoothly mixed together in a bowl, forming the wet base of the cupcake batter.

Now it’s time to bring all the elements together. Begin by gently stirring one-third of your dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined; overmixing at this stage can lead to tough cupcakes. Follow this with half of the buttermilk, again mixing gently until it’s just incorporated. Continue this alternating process: add another third of the flour mixture, mix, then the remaining buttermilk, mix, and finally the last third of the flour, mixing only until just combined. Because the batter has a looser consistency, you might notice a few small lumps of flour remaining; these can be quickly worked out with a whisk or spatula without overdeveloping the gluten. The key is gentle mixing to ensure a tender, fluffy cupcake.

The fully combined chocolate cupcake batter, smooth and ready to be portioned into liners.

3. Portion and Bake to Perfection

Carefully divide the rich chocolate cupcake batter evenly among 12 paper cupcake liners placed in your muffin pan. It’s important not to overfill them; aim for about two-thirds full to allow for proper rising without overflowing. Bake in a preheated oven for approximately 18-23 minutes. Keep in mind that baking times can vary slightly depending on your specific oven and the type of muffin pan you’re using (silicone pans, for example, might take a minute or two longer than metal ones). To accurately check for doneness, insert a clean toothpick into the center of one of the middle cupcakes. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached, indicating a perfectly baked, moist interior. Avoid baking until the toothpick is completely clean, as this can result in dry cupcakes.

Chocolate cupcake batter neatly portioned into paper liners within a silicone muffin pan, ready for baking.
A batch of perfectly baked chocolate cupcakes cooling in silicone muffin pans, showcasing their ideal rise and shape.

4. Prepare the Luxurious Caramel Buttercream

The crowning glory of these caramel chocolate cupcakes is undoubtedly the luscious caramel buttercream. It’s a simple, classic buttercream base, elevated by the addition of our easy homemade caramel sauce. To further enhance and deepen that unmistakable caramel flavor, a touch of brown sugar is also incorporated, adding richness and complexity to the frosting.

Start by placing the softened unsalted butter and dark brown sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer. Beat these two ingredients together on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes wonderfully lightened in color and incredibly creamy. This process usually takes about 4-5 minutes and is crucial for achieving a smooth, airy buttercream. Ensure you scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to incorporate all ingredients evenly.

Softened butter and brown sugar creaming together in a stand mixer bowl, forming a light and fluffy base for the buttercream.

Next, pour in about ¼ cup of your beautifully cooled caramel sauce along with the vanilla extract. Continue to beat the mixture thoroughly until the caramel is fully combined and evenly distributed, imparting its signature flavor and a lovely hue to the buttercream base.

The buttercream after the caramel sauce has been smoothly beaten in, resulting in a rich, golden, and perfectly combined frosting.

Finally, with your mixer running on low speed, gradually add the icing sugar (powdered sugar) in small batches. This prevents a cloud of sugar from engulfing your kitchen! Once all the icing sugar is incorporated and the mixture starts to come together, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2-3 minutes until the buttercream is light and fluffy. Finish by adding the heavy cream, beating for just another 30-40 seconds until it’s fully combined and the buttercream reaches a perfect, pipeable consistency. This step ensures a wonderfully smooth and stable frosting.

The caramel buttercream, now complete, after the icing sugar and cream have been beaten in, showcasing its silky smooth and fluffy texture.

5. Assemble Your Decadent Cupcakes

Once your cupcakes are completely cooled, it’s time for the exciting assembly! If you possess a cupcake corer, now is its moment to shine – it will create a perfectly neat cavity in the center of each cupcake. If not, a small paring knife works equally well; simply cut a roughly 1-inch piece out of the top of each cupcake. The goal is to create a well for the delicious filling. Fill each cavity with about 1-2 teaspoons of your cooled caramel sauce. For an extra touch, you can place a small piece of the cake offcut back on top of the caramel before frosting, though this is entirely optional. Then, using a piping bag fitted with your favorite nozzle, or simply spreading with a spatula, generously pipe or spread your prepared caramel buttercream on top of each cupcake. For an ultimate flourish, I love to drizzle my finished cupcakes with a little extra melted chocolate and a final swirl of more caramel sauce, enhancing both their flavor and visual appeal.

Top-down view of chocolate cupcakes with their centers cored out and generously filled with gooey caramel sauce.
Caramel buttercream being expertly piped onto a chocolate cupcake, creating an elegant and tempting swirl.

If you enjoy exploring different flavor combinations with chocolate cupcakes, be sure to try our Black Forest chocolate cupcakes with their rich cream cheese frosting, and our refreshing chocolate mint cupcakes.

Expert Tips and Tricks for Baking Success

Achieving bakery-quality cupcakes at home is easier than you think, especially with these two critical tips:

  • Always Weigh Your Ingredients: This is arguably the most crucial tip for consistent and successful baking, especially for cakes and cookies. Where a weight measurement is provided in the recipe, always prioritize using a kitchen scale over volumetric cup measurements. Flour, for example, can vary significantly in weight depending on how it’s scooped. Using a digital kitchen scale ensures precision, leading to a perfectly balanced batter and consistent results every time. It only adds an extra minute or so to your prep time, and good quality scales are quite affordable. If you absolutely must use cup measurements and don’t own a scale, employ the “spoon and level” method: gently spoon the flour (or other dry ingredients) into your measuring cup until overflowing, then level off the top with the back of a knife. Never scoop directly from the container, as this compacts the ingredient and leads to using too much.
  • Do Not Overmix the Batter: Once you introduce flour to the wet ingredients, it’s vital to mix only until the ingredients are just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, which can result in cupcakes that are dense, tough, and chewy instead of tender and fluffy. Gentle folding and stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain is key to a perfectly delicate crumb. Even if there are a few small lumps, it’s better to slightly undermix than overmix.
  • Ensure Room Temperature Ingredients: For both the cupcake batter and the buttercream, using room temperature ingredients (especially butter and eggs) is essential. Room temperature ingredients emulsify more effectively, creating a smoother, more uniform batter and a lighter, fluffier buttercream.
  • Don’t Overfill Cupcake Liners: Filling liners more than two-thirds full can lead to cupcakes that overflow, bake unevenly, or develop undesirable peaked tops. Sticking to the recommended fill level ensures beautiful, evenly domed cupcakes.
  • Rotate Your Muffin Pan: Ovens often have hot spots. Rotating your muffin pan halfway through the baking time helps ensure all cupcakes bake evenly, preventing some from being over-baked while others are still raw.
Extreme closeup of a single, perfectly cut-open chocolate caramel cupcake, revealing the luscious, oozing caramel filling within its moist chocolate interior.

Storage Solutions: Keeping Your Cupcakes Fresh

To preserve the deliciousness of your chocolate caramel cupcakes, proper storage is key:

You should store your assembled chocolate caramel cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. This helps maintain their freshness, especially due to the caramel and buttercream components.

Before serving, allow them to come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the chocolate cake to soften and the buttercream to become perfectly creamy, enhancing their texture and flavor.

Any leftover caramel sauce can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When you’re ready to use it again, a quick reheat in the microwave will restore it to its pourable consistency.

For longer storage, these versatile cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months, either before or after assembly. If freezing assembled cupcakes, place them on a tray in the freezer until the buttercream is firm, then transfer them to an airtight container. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before bringing them to room temperature to serve.

Transforming Them into Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Absolutely, elevating these to salted caramel chocolate cupcakes is wonderfully simple! The recipe already provides clear instructions for adding sea salt flakes to your caramel sauce during preparation. By following this easy modification, your caramel filling will become perfectly salted caramel. Consequently, when this delectable salted caramel is incorporated into the buttercream, your frosting will naturally become a luxurious salted caramel buttercream. And just like that, you’ve effortlessly created exquisite chocolate salted caramel cupcakes, bursting with that irresistible sweet and salty balance. It’s an easy, yet impactful, adjustment that truly enhances the flavor profile. Phew, that’s easy!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the secret to baking truly good cupcakes?

The secret to a truly exceptional cupcake lies in achieving a delicate balance: it should be wonderfully soft and fluffy, yet undeniably moist. These caramel chocolate cupcakes embody this perfectly, with their tender crumb and rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It also involves using quality ingredients and careful mixing techniques.

How can I ensure my cupcakes are moist and not dry?

Keeping cupcakes moist is a common baking challenge, but there are several effective tricks to ensure a tender, juicy crumb. Incorporating brown sugar, as we do in this recipe, is fantastic, as its molasses content adds moisture. Buttermilk is another hero ingredient, contributing to a tender texture and reacting with baking soda for a soft rise. Cocoa powder also plays a role in moisture retention due to its chemical interaction with sugar, which is a bonus for our chocolate cupcakes. While oil can often add more moisture to cakes and cupcakes, it’s not strictly necessary for this particular recipe, which achieves ample moisture with butter. We recommend sticking to butter for the rich flavor it imparts, unless you’re specifically aiming for a dairy-free cupcake where oil would be a suitable substitute.

What commonly causes cupcakes to become dry?

The most frequent culprit behind dry or even tough cupcakes is the addition of too much flour. Flour absorbs moisture, and an excess amount will quickly lead to a dry crumb. This is precisely why it’s so important to weigh your flour meticulously if possible, rather than relying solely on cup measurements, which can be inaccurate due to varying compaction. Overmixing the batter, which overdevelops gluten, can also contribute to a drier, tougher texture.

What is the most efficient way to fill cupcake papers evenly?

For consistent and neatly filled cupcake papers, you simply can’t beat a reliable medium ice cream scoop. It makes portioning the cupcake batter incredibly easy and ensures that each liner receives an equal amount, leading to uniformly baked and beautifully presented cupcakes. Alternatively, a large cookie scoop or even two spoons can work in a pinch.

Top-down view of a chocolate caramel cupcake, expertly cut in half to showcase the irresistible oozy caramel filling nestled within its dark, moist crumb.

Without further ado, I urge you to bake and savor these decadent Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes as soon as possible. You certainly won’t regret it!

More Decadent Recipes You’ll Love

If these caramel chocolate cupcakes have captured your heart, you’ll be thrilled to discover more of our beloved recipes:

  • Chocolate Caramel Poke Cake: Another show-stopping dessert that combines the best of chocolate and caramel in an easy-to-make cake format.
  • Coffee Cupcakes with Coffee Buttercream: For coffee lovers, these rich and aromatic cupcakes topped with a velvety coffee buttercream are an absolute delight.
  • Salted Caramel Cinnamon Cupcakes: A comforting blend of warm cinnamon, sweet caramel, and a touch of salt for a truly unique treat.
  • Chocolate Mint Cupcakes: A classic flavor pairing that’s refreshing and indulgent, perfect for mint chocolate chip enthusiasts.
  • Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes: For the ultimate chocolate craving, these intensely rich and moist fudge cupcakes are pure bliss.

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Extreme closeup of a single caramel chocolate cupcake.

Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 57 minutes

5 from 28 ratings
Caramel chocolate cupcakes combine rich, moist chocolate cupcakes with an easy caramel filling and caramel buttercream. This is the best kind of indulgence, right here.
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Ingredients

FOR THE CUPCAKES

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

FOR THE CARAMEL

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

FOR THE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM

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

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Equipment

  • A regular muffin tin or silicone muffin trays
  • a medium ice cream scoop, helpful but not essential
  • Wilton squeeze bottles, perfect for storing and pouring the caramel sauce
  • A stand mixer or handheld beater will work great
  • A cupcake corer or paring knife

Instructions

 

  • FOR THE CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES: Preheat your oven to 180C (160C fan) / 350F and line your muffin tins with paper cases.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to ensure all dry ingredients are thoroughly combined and free of lumps.
  • In a separate bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the melted butter and both granulated white and dark brown sugars until the mixture is smooth and evenly incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed in before adding the next. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Finally, add the vanilla extract and beat just until combined.
  • Carefully add one-third of the dry flour mixture to the wet butter and sugar mixture. Gently stir until it is just combined. Next, add half of the buttermilk and mix gently again. Continue this alternating process: add another third of the flour, mix gently, then the remaining buttermilk, mix gently, and finally the last third of the flour, mixing only until just combined. It is crucial not to overmix or handle the batter too vigorously at this stage, as this can result in dense and tough cupcakes.
  • Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cupcake cases, filling each only to about two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 18-23 minutes (refer to notes 5 for variations). For even baking, rotate the muffin pan halfway through the baking time. To check for doneness, insert a clean skewer or toothpick into the center of a cupcake; it should come out with just a crumb or two attached, indicating perfect moisture.
  • Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tin for about 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  • FOR THE CARAMEL: In a saucepan, combine the unwrapped chewy caramels and the thickened cream over low heat. Stir continuously until the caramels are fully melted and the mixture becomes smooth and luscious. If you desire a salted caramel, stir in the optional sea salt flakes at this point. Remove from heat and allow the caramel sauce to cool completely before using, as it will thicken as it cools.
  • FOR THE CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a handheld electric beater), beat the softened unsalted butter and dark brown sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is visibly lightened in color and incredibly fluffy, typically for 4-5 minutes. This step is crucial for dissolving the sugar and incorporating air, so do not rush it. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically.
  • Add ½ cup (125ml) of the cooled caramel sauce, the vanilla extract, and the fine sea salt (if using for salted caramel buttercream). Beat thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and the buttercream takes on a beautiful caramel hue.
  • With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the icing sugar (powdered sugar) one-quarter at a time. It’s a good idea to reserve about ½ a cup of icing sugar until the end to adjust the consistency if needed. Continue mixing until the icing sugar is fully incorporated and the buttercream is smooth. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional 2 minutes, ensuring you scrape down the bowl as required.
  • Finally, add the 2 tablespoons of thickened cream and beat for just 30-40 seconds more to incorporate it fully. This will ensure your buttercream is perfectly smooth, stable, and ready for piping.
  • TO ASSEMBLE: Once the cupcakes are completely cool, create a hole in the top of each using a cupcake corer or a small paring knife. Fill each created cavity with about 1-2 teaspoons of the cooled caramel sauce. Optionally, you can place a small piece of the cake offcuts back on top to cover the caramel before frosting.
  • Generously pipe or spread the caramel buttercream onto the tops of the cupcakes using a piping bag with your preferred nozzle, or simply a spatula.
  • For a final touch of elegance and flavor, drizzle the assembled cupcakes with any leftover caramel sauce and a touch of melted chocolate.
  • We would be absolutely thrilled if you could take a moment to leave a comment & rating below. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and incredibly helpful!

Notes

  1. Tablespoons: Please note that I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon in this recipe, which is equivalent to 4 teaspoons. It’s always a good idea to check the capacity of your measuring spoons before you begin to ensure accuracy.
  2. The optional addition of sea salt flakes is what will transform your rich caramel sauce into a more complex and addictive salted caramel. Adjust to your taste preferences.
  3. Caramels: While the method using store-bought caramels is incredibly easy and yields a delicious result, it may not be the most budget-friendly option in all regions. As an alternative, you can always opt for a pre-made jar of good quality caramel sauce from the store, or for a truly homemade touch, consider preparing your own homemade caramel sauce from scratch.
  4. For the most accurate and best results in baking, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar using a digital kitchen scale. Kitchen scales are relatively inexpensive and greatly improve consistency. If weighing is not an option, use the “spoon and level” method for dry ingredients (gently spooning flour into the cup then leveling, rather than scooping directly from the container).
  5. Oven Variation and Bake Time: Please remember that all ovens can vary significantly in temperature and performance. Additionally, the type of muffin pan you use will also influence the baking time. In my oven, silicone molds typically require about 22-23 minutes for the cupcakes to bake fully. I recommend starting to check for doneness around the 18-minute mark to prevent overbaking.
  6. The provided nutrition details are approximate only and have been derived from an online calculator. The specific brands and types of ingredients you use may cause variations in the final nutritional information.
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Have you tried this recipe?Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.
Nutrition Facts
Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes
Amount Per Serving (132 g)
Calories 485
Calories from Fat 207
% Daily Value*
Fat 22.97g35%
Saturated Fat 13.659g85%
Trans Fat 0.71g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.677g
Monounsaturated Fat 6.036g
Cholesterol 88mg29%
Sodium 494mg21%
Potassium 226mg6%
Carbohydrates 68.89g23%
Fiber 1.3g5%
Sugar 55.68g62%
Protein 4.59g9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.