Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

My sister, Karina, is vising me and we made these amazing cupcakes together. They are perfectly tender, chocolaty cupcakes with a chocolate cream cheese frosting, drizzled with caramel sauce and a sprinkling of coarse salt. I found the recipe in a Southern Living Big Book Of Cupcakes cookbook. I got it for my other sister, Elina, for Christmas, and couldn’t resist trying a recipe myself:) I used my own recipe for the frosting and the caramel sauce from Cooks Illustrated.

Yields: 24 cupcakes

Chocolate Cupcakes

1 cup Dutch processed cocoa

2 cups boiling water

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 3/4 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chocolate liquer, optional

Frosting:

1 1/2 pkgs cream cheese, softened

1 stick of butter, softened

1/2 cup conf. sugar

1/4 cup nutella

2 oz melted chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon chocolate liquer, optional

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Caramel:

1/2 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water. Set aside to cool. IMG_9475Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. IMG_9515Add the eggs, one at a time. Add one third of the flour mixture to the batter, mix until just incorporated. Add  half of the cocoa mixture and chocolate liqueur  mix. Add half of the flour, mix, followed by the rest of the cocoa mixture, mix and finish with the remaining flour mixture.IMG_9498Using an ice cream scoop (or a spoon) portion out the batter among 24 lined cupcakes. IMG_9501I love using an ice cream scoop to portion out the batter. It’s clean, easy and the cupcakes are all the same size. IMG_9504Bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. Cool.

Meanwhile, make the frosting by creaming the cream cheese, butter and sugar until creamy and well mixed. IMG_9515Add the melted chocolate, Nutella, vanilla and chocolate liqueur.  Place in the refrigerator while you whip up the heavy cream with powdered sugar in a chilled bowl. Fold the whipped cream into the frosting. IMG_9619 (550x367)Keep refrigerated until you are ready to apply the frosting to the cupcakes.IMG_9623Make the caramel sauce: I would recommend making the caramel sauce first, before you make the cupcakes and frosting, but it’s ok if you forget, you’ll just have to wait for it to cool before drizzling on the cupcakes. 

Pour the water into a small saucepan. Pour in the sugar right into the center of the saucepan, being careful that the sugar NOT touch the sides of the saucepan. IMG_9510Bring to a boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes, until it’s amber brown in color. Add warmed cream and salt, whisking vigorously. IMG_9516
IMG_9521Keep whisking vigorously. The caramel will bubble ferociously. IMG_9530Add vanilla and lemon juice. Cool. IMG_9541Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Drizzle with cooled caramel sauce and sprinkle with coarse salt.IMG_9648

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Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

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  • Author: Olga's Flavor Factory
  • Prep Time: 25 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 24 cupcakes 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup Dutch processed cocoa
  • 2 cups boiling water
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chocolate liquer, optional

Frosting:

  • 1 1/2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup conf. sugar
  • 1/4 cup nutella
  • 2 oz melted chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon chocolate liquer, optional
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Caramel:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Dissolve the cocoa in the boiling water. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time.
  5. Add one third of the flour mixture to the batter, mix until just incorporated.
  6. Add half of the cocoa mixture and chocolate liqueur mix.
  7. Add half of the flour, mix, followed by the rest of the cocoa mixture, mix and finish with the remaining flour mixture.
  8. Using an ice cream scoop (or a spoon) portion out the batter among 24 lined cupcakes.
  9. Bake at 350 for about 12-15 minutes. Cool.
  10. Meanwhile, make the frosting by creaming the cream cheese, butter and sugar until creamy and well mixed.
  11. Add the melted chocolate, Nutella, vanilla and chocolate liqueur.
  12. Place in the refrigerator while you whip up the heavy cream with powdered sugar in a chilled bowl.
  13. Fold the whipped cream into the frosting. Keep refrigerated until you are ready to apply the frosting to the cupcakes.
  14. Make the caramel sauce: I would recommend making the caramel sauce first, before you make the cupcakes and frosting, but it’s ok if you forget, you’ll just have to wait for it to cool before drizzling on the cupcakes.
  15. Pour the water into a small saucepan. Pour in the sugar right into the center of the saucepan, being careful that the sugar NOT touch the sides of the saucepan.
  16. Bring to a boil and cook for about 5-10 minutes, until it’s amber brown in color.
  17. Add warmed cream and salt, whisking vigorously.
  18. Keep whisking vigorously. The caramel will bubble ferociously.
  19. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Cool.
  20. Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. Drizzle with cooled caramel sauce and sprinkle with coarse salt.

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9 Comments

  • INESSA- GrabangoRecipes

    Olga, such a delicious looking cupcake!!! Love caramel and salt combination, Yum!!! You are very creative. 🙂

  • Lena

    What a great recipe to make for the kids! You are truly amazing. Keep up the great work- I really appreciate and rely on your site for new ideas.

  • alla

    I made these cupcakes twice now and they are DELICIOUS. And i also made the cupcakes with peanutbutter frosting and it too came out yummy. Thank you

  • Julie

    How many days in advance can these be made?
    I’m making a birthday party for my daughter she’s turning 1, and want to be relaxed on the day and not worry that I don’t have things ready. Thanks 🙂

    • olgak7

      I can totally relate, Julie. I usually always make dessert the day before we are having people over. You can make the cupcakes up to 2 days in advance. However, I would put the frosting on last minute, or at least the night before. You can make the frosting in advance too, just keep it in the refrigerator. I hope you guys have a great party. My son is turning one in less than a month, so we’re excited about his party too.

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