These caramel filled cupcakes are the most delicious cupcakes and full of caramel flavor! It has a super soft chocolate cupcake, homemade salted caramel sauce and a salted caramel buttercream!
These caramel filled cupcakes are so soft and delicious. They have a super soft chocolate cupcake, a delicious homemade caramel filling and is topped with a caramel frosting. To finish them off they are topped with more caramel and cake crumbs.
This caramel cupcake recipe is beyond amazing and they are perfect for any occasion like birthdays, a baby shower or any other celebration.
For more cupcake recipes, try Banoffee Cupcakes, Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes and Tiramisu Cupcakes.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Chocolate cupcakes: The chocolate cupcakes are so soft and super easy to make.
- Homemade caramel sauce: The cupcakes are filled with a delicious homemade salted caramel. The caramel is also used in the buttercream.
- Caramel buttercream: This caramel buttercream so soft and so delicious!
- Show stopper cupcakes: The cupcakes are a showstoppers and are perfect for a party or birthday.
INGREDIENT NOTES
These are some of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card below.
- Eggs: Take them out of the fridge 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Sour cream: Sour cream makes for a softer and more tender cupcake. Measure out the sour cream and let it come to room temperature 1-2 hours before baking (depending how warm your kitchen is).
- Boiled water: Heat up a kettle of water before you start. Add the boiled water to a measuring cup and while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, let it cool down a bit, so it's not piping hot.
- Cocoa powder: I use high quality dutch processed cocoa powder for the best flavor, my favorite is from Valrhona.
- Instant espresso powder: I use Nescafe Gold espresso powder as it dissolves quickly and as a great flavor as it's 100% arabica coffee
- Butter: Let the butter come to room temperature for using it.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CUPCAKES
Here is how to make and bake these cupcakes. This recipe needs a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. You will need a 12-cup cupcake pan and cupcake liners.
The full recipe is down below in the recipe card.
Before starting preheat the oven to 160ºC/ 320ºF conventional oven. Line a 12-cup cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.
STEP 1: Start by boiling some water and weigh out the water so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.
STEP 2: In a large mixing bowl sift all of dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has be combined.
STEP 3: In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.
STEP 4: Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there is no lumps left in the batter.
STEP 5: Divide the cake mixture into the 12 cupcake liners and bake them for 15-17 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the hot pan. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cupcakes from the cupcake pan and let them cool down completely on a wire rack.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - CARAMEL
While the cupcakes are baking, make the caramel.
STEP 1: In a small saucepan, slowly melt the granulated sugar over low/medium heat until golden brown. At the same time in another small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it begins to bubble.
STEP 2: Add the heated heavy cream when the sugar has turned golden brown. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered.
STEP 3: Turn off the heat and add the butter and a pinch of sea salt. Stir it in until the butter has melted into the caramel. Transfer it to a shallow bowl, so it can cool down faster, and let it cool down in the fridge. It takes about 30 minutes to an 1 hour to become room temperature.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS - BUTTERCREAM AND ASSEMBLING
Once the cupcakes and caramel has cooled down make the buttercream.
STEP 1: Sift the powdered sugar. In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter and 75 g of the homemade caramel for 2 min on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 min more.
STEP 2: On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in 2 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix it in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 min on low/medium speed.
STEP 3: Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream. Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag with a big star piping tip.
STEP 4: Using an end of a piping tip or similar, dig out the core of cupcake, to make an indent for the caramel. Add the caramel in the middle of the cupcake and thereafter pipe the buttercream of the cupcake. Drizzle any leftover caramel over the buttercream and sprinkle with some cake crumbs, off the scraps, from the cupcakes.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Use a kitchen scale: My default setting for my recipes is grams. It is the most precise way of measuring out your ingredients, I therefore highly recommend using a kitchen scale.
- Don't over mix your batter: I always use a spatula after everything has mixed together, to give it one final gentle fold together. This makes sure everything in the bottom of the mixing bowl has been mixed into the batter.
- Light vs. dark baking pans: For the best result, use an aluminum baking pan, greased with butter and lined with baking paper in the bottom. Aluminum pans are light in color and therefore attract less heat. That means it bakes more gently which results in a softer cake. If you use a black baking pan it'll attract a lot more heat. That will then give a darker crust, which can result in a dryer cake.
FAQ
Yes, these cupcakes last well in an airtight container, at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Yes, follow the recipe and bake them for 8-10 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Yes, store bought caramel will work just as well.
I recommend using a cake tester or a toothpick. Once the time has passed, per the recipe, insert the cake tester in the middle of the cake and once it comes out clean, with no cake batter on it, then it's done.
STORAGE
Store the caramel filled cupcakes in an airtight container, at room temperature. It's best enjoyed within a few days.
Other Cupcake Recipes To Try
Make sure leave a STAR REVIEW if you loved this recipe! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @juliemarieeats. To get more ideas by following me on Pinterest.
Caramel Filled Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
- 120 gram boiling water
- 160 gram all-purpose flour
- 200 gram sugar
- 50 gram unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 120 gram sour cream 18% room temperature
- 75 gram vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
SALTED CARAMEL
- 180 gram granulated sugar
- 200 gram heavy cream
- 50 gram butter
- Pinch of salt
CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
- 150 gram butter room temperature
- 50 gram caramel + extra for drizzling on top
- 330 gram powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoon whole milk
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE
- Preheat the oven at 160ºC/320ºF conventional oven and line a 12-cup cupcake tray with 12 cupcake liners.
- Start by boiling some water and weigh out the water so it can cool down a bit while preparing the other ingredients.120 gram boiling water
- In a large mixing bowl sift all of dry ingredients together. Give it a stir to make sure everything has be combined.160 gram all-purpose flour, 200 gram sugar, 50 gram unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In another mixing bowl add all of the wet ingredients, including the water, and with a hand whisk, whisk them together until combined. Be sure to not mix the ingredients too vigorously so the eggs don’t get over mixed.120 gram sour cream 18%, 75 gram vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry while gently stirring it all together. Make sure there is no lumps left in the batter.
- Divide the cake batter into the 12 cupcake liners and bake them for 20-23 minutes.
- Let the cupcakes cool in the hot pan. After 5 minutes, gently remove the cupcakes from the cupcake pan and let them cool down completely.
SALTED CARAMEL
- While the cupcakes are baking, make the caramel.
- In a small saucepan, slowly melt the granulated sugar over low/medium heat until golden brown. At the same time in another small saucepan, heat the heavy cream until it begins to bubble.180 gram granulated sugar, 200 gram heavy cream
- Add the heated heavy cream when the sugar has turned golden brown. It will bubble up strongly so be careful of your fingers. Stir constantly until it has gathered.
- Turn off the heat and add the butter and pinch of salt. Stir it in until the butter has melted into the caramel. Transfer it to a shallow bowl, so it can cool down faster, and let it cool down in the fridge. It takes about 30 minutes to an 1 hour to become room temperature.50 gram butter, Pinch of salt
BUTTERCREAM
- Once the cupcakes and caramel has cooled down make the buttercream.
- Sift the powdered sugar.330 gram powdered sugar
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, start by creaming the butter and 75 g of the homemade caramel for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix 1 minute more.150 gram butter, 50 gram caramel
- On low speed, add the sifted powdered sugar in 2 portion, mix in the powdered sugar at low speed, until each addition is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix it in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix for 2 minutes on low/medium speed.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1-2 tablespoon whole milk
- Take the bowl off the stand mixer and with a spatula or wooden spoon, beat it well by hand to make sure to remove the air bubbles in the buttercream.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag with a big star piping tip e.g Wilton 1M.
ASSEMBLING
- Using an end of a piping tip or a butter knife, dig out the core of cupcake, to make an indent for the caramel.
- Add the caramel in the middle of the cupcake and thereafter pipe the buttercream of the cupcake.
- Drizzle any leftover caramel over the buttercream and decorate with some cake crumbs, off the scraps, from the cupcakes.
- Serve it on the day, but it can also last well for a few days on the kitchen counter, in an airtight container.
Sandra
Ohhh yessss, that salted caramel recipe sure is a keeper! I started the decoration with your chocolate fudge frosting, filled that up with a little pool of this salted caramel and topped this with sweet & salt popcorn! 🍿
Such amazing recipes you have, Julie Marie 💕 Thanks for sharing
Liesbeth
These cupcakes are to die for. There fun to make and look gorgeous when finished. Don’t let me get started on the taste, because amazing!!! Great recipe to impress your friends & family. (Just make sure to be patient with making the caramel. It took me three times because I had the heat too high). Thanks for the recipe 🫶🏼
Kerri Andrews
Delightful recipe! Fun to make (especially the caramel)The caramel buttercream is dangerously delicious(tempting to make an extra batch just to eat😋
Made these for my granddaughters birthdays. Her eyes lit up with first bite.