Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

Instructions

Caramel Filling & Drizzle

1. Make the caramel first, because it needs time to cool and thicken before it's used to fill and drizzle over the cupcakes. Making caramel from scratch might seem a little intimidating, but I promise it's easier than you'd think!
2. Turn the stove to medium heat and place a saucepan over the element.
3. Once the saucepan has warmed up, pour in 1 cup of sugar gradually, adding 1/4 cup at a time. Wait until the sugar is mostly liquified, then add in the next bit of sugar. As the sugar melts it will slowly deepen in color. If you feel like the sugar is burning, remove the pan from the element and turn down the heat a bit.
4. Stir as needed until the sugar is fully dissolved and is an amber color. Turn off the heat.
5. Slowly mix in 6 Tbsp of butter, 2 Tbsp at a time. Stir until each addition of butter is fully incorporated before adding the next bit. Then stir in 1/4 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 tsp salt. The mixture will be very thin but will thicken as it cools.
6. Pour the caramel into a separate container and set aside to cool.

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175 C. Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners and set aside.
2. Pour 3/4 cup of warm water into a large bowl. Mix in 1 1/2 tsp of coffee or espresso powder and stir until dissolved.
3. Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips that have been melted and 1/3 cup of cocoa powder. Whisk together until the ingredients are fully combined.
4. Whisk 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp vinegar into the cocoa mixture.
5. Add 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt into the chocolate espresso mixture and whisk until just combined. The batter will be thin, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.
6. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to help the cupcakes bake more evenly. Remove the pan from the oven.
7. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to finish cooling. If you're in a rush, place the whole pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to accelerate the cooling process.

Caramel Buttercream

1. While the cupcakes bake and cool, make the caramel buttercream. In a large glass bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat 1 cup of room-temperature butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a hand mixer or paddle attachment until smooth.
2. Mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1/4 tsp salt on a low speed.
3. Slowly mix in 4 cups of powdered sugar and 1 Tbsp of heavy cream on a low speed. Once combined, mix in 1/4 cup of cooled caramel sauce. The caramel should still be fluid but shouldn't be hot to the touch.
4. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting seems too thick, add an extra Tbsp of heavy cream. If it's too thin, add another 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.
5. Stir by hand with a rubber spatula for a couple of minutes to make the frosting SUPER smooth. Place the frosting in a large piping bag fit with a Wilton 1M tip and seal the top of the bag with a rubber band or clip. Set aside.

Chocolate Ganache Drip

1. Place 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Heat 1/3 cup heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it's steaming and just starting to bubble. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stovetop, you can heat the cream over medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
3. Gently pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is fully covered by the cream. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
4. Stir the mixture together until the cream and chocolate are fully combined and the mixture is smooth.
5. Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is just slightly warm to the touch.

Decorating These Caramel Cupcakes

1. Use the wide opening of a large frosting tip or a small knife to remove the center from each cooled cupcake.
2. Fill each cupcake with a little less than a Tbsp of cooled caramel.
3. Pipe swirls of caramel frosting on top of each cupcake. Chill the cupcakes in the fridge for 15 minutes or the freezer for 5 minutes to help the frosting firm up.
4. While the cupcakes chill, warm up the remaining caramel in 10-second intervals until it is thin enough to be drizzled.
5. Remove the cupcakes from the fridge or freezer and drizzle with warm chocolate ganache and caramel. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, then enjoy!