If you are looking for the ultimate cupcake, look no further. These cupcakes are sublime. They have a silky caramel center inside a moist cupcake and are topped with a salted caramel buttercream frosting. When making these, it is important to make the caramel filling first so that it has time to cool while the cupcakes are baking.
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Cooking Time: 60 Minutes
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Ingredients:
Salted Caramel Filling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream at room temperature
- A pinch of sea salt
Cupcakes
- 1-1/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
Salted Caramel Frosting
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Reserved 1/4 cup caramel filling
- Pink Himalayan sea salt for sprinkling tops (optional)
The frosting recipe yields enough for 24 cupcakes; this recipe can be cut in half.
Instructions:
Salted Caramel Filling
- Place the sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. It will dissolve and turn a deep amber color. While this is happening, whisk a few times.
- Add butter and stir until melted and combined.
- Add cream in two portions. Whisk until smooth each time.
- Add the pinch of sea salt.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then add sugars and mix well.
- In another bowl, add the oil, milk, coconut milk, vanilla, and orange zest and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry by whisking as you pour them in. Stir until all combined.
- Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter (easily done with an ice cream scoop).
- Bake for 23 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before filling and frosting.
Salted Caramel Frosting
- Cream butter, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
- Fold in caramel filling.
- Frost cupcakes.
- Sprinkle pink salt on top (optional).
Assembly
Once cupcakes and filling have cooled to room temperature, reserve 1/4 cup of the filling for frosting. To fill the cupcakes, use a small paring knife to cut out from the top of the cupcake a cylinder half the diameter of the cupcake and half its depth. Remove the cylinder and fill the cupcake using a small teaspoon. Replace the cylinder. Repeat for all 12 cupcakes.
