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Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Salted caramel chocolate cupcakes with a rich cocoa crumb, a gooey caramel center, and a silky frosting swirled with caramel and flaky sea salt. Baked in muffin tins and filled after cooling for clean cupcakes with a visible caramel pull.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 18 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For chocolate cupcakes
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup cocoa powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb butter, softened
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup buttermilk
For caramel filling
  • 1 cup thick caramel sauce
For salted caramel chocolate frosting
  • 1 lb butter
  • 0.5 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.25 cup caramel sauce
  • 3 tbsp cream
  • 0.25 tsp flaky salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the chocolate cupcakes
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line cupcake tins with liners, so the batter goes in immediately after mixing.
  2. Whisk all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Beat butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, then add eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  4. Alternate the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the batter, mixing just until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Divide the batter into liners, filling each about 2/3 full for proper doming.
  6. Bake at 350F for 18-20 minutes, until the tops spring back when gently pressed.
  7. Cool the cupcakes completely on a sheet pan so the centers don’t collapse when cored.
Fill and finish
  1. Core each cupcake and fill the center with thick caramel sauce.
  2. Beat butter, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, caramel sauce, and cream until the frosting is smooth and pipeable.
  3. Pipe the frosting onto each cupcake and swirl for ridges that hold drizzle.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the frosting and sprinkle flaky salt on top as a final cue.

Notes

For the cleanest caramel centers, core the cupcakes once fully cool, then keep filled cupcakes chilled until frosting to keep the filling from seeping. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze unfrosted cupcakes for up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge) and frost after thawing if you want the frosting to stay bold. For a dairy-free swap, use a plant-style butter and dairy-free cream; choose a dairy-free caramel sauce as well.