The most amazing soft and moist caramel filled chocolate cupcake! Soft and rich chocolate cupcake with a smooth salted caramel and a salted caramel buttercream.
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.