Moist chocolate cake filled with homemade caramel… topped with vanilla buttercream and seasalt? What could be better?

I am in love with salted caramel anything – chocolates, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, you name it! This is one of my favorite salted caramel concotions – they are my go-to “need to bring something to a party” cupcakes and they are always a hit!

I made them last weekend because I had told so many people here at school about them, but hadn’t yet made them! They are on the complicated side – with lots of ingredients and prep – so it’s been hard to find the time and all the ingredients! But with classes behind me and reading week ahead of me – I went for it! My floor and all my friends loved them!

The chocolate cake that I use is pretty incredible too. So if you’re just looking for a basic chocolate cupcake recipe – try these out!

Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Recipe from Marisa Loper but the caramel sauce is from Smitten Kitchen
Makes 36 cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 stick melted butter
2/3 cup melted chocolate
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream

Caramel Sauce:
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Heaped 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Buttercream:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Milk as needed

Sea Salt

Directions:

1. Caramel sauce: melt sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat – about five minutes, stirring to break up chunks. Cook until it reaches a nice copper color. Remove from heat and stir in butter, then the cream and salt. Return the saucepan to the stovetop and cook over medium high heat, melting it fully and cooking until it is a shade darker. Pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge until the cupcakes are done and ready to be assembled.

2. Cupcakes: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffins tins with cupcake liners. Stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar together. Add the milk, butter, chocolate, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat in the dry ingredients, a cup at a time, to the wet ingredients. Beat until well combined. Pour batter in muffin tins 2/3 cup full. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. Buttercream: in a large bowl, beat the butter and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar in one cup increments and beat on high. Add a couple tablespoons of milk to reach desired thickness.

4. Assembly: once cupcakes are cool, use a paring knife to cut a small circle in the tops of the cupcakes, about the size of a nickel. Use a teaspoon to take out a small hole of cake. Make sure to keep these intact and don’t eat them! Pour some caramel sauce into the hole, it will dissolve into the cake. Replace the top and then frost the cupcakes! Drizzle more caramel sauce over the top and sprinkle with sea salt!