Salted Caramel Cupcake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 12-hole cake tin with paper cases.
• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract. Briefly mix in the flour until just combined, and stir in the milk until the batter just falls off the beaters.
• Divide the mixture between the cases, leaving about 2 tbsp batter in the bowl. Add a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce if it's not salted caramel, then add ½ tsp to the tops of each cupcake. Use a teaspoon to cover the caramel sauce with the remaining batter. Bake for 15-20 mins until springy and golden. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Beat the butter and half of the icing sugar together, then tip in the remaining icing sugar and whisk vigorously until pale and fluffy. Stir in half of the caramel sauce, then spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a round or star nozzle.
• Pipe swirls of icing on top of the cooled cupcakes. Stir the remaining caramel sauce with a pinch of salt, if unsalted, then use to drizzle over the icing. Sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt over each, if you like.

Steps:

• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard muffin pan or cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
• Mix the coffee extract into the brewed coffee. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
• In a bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix to combine. Add the butter, vanilla and eggs and beat on medium speed until combined. Add half of the coffee and beat for 20 seconds. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the remaining coffee. Beat for another 20 seconds until the batter is smooth.
• Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling them three-quarter full. Bake until a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool.
• For the ganache: In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, corn syrup and granulated sugar to a boil over medium-low heat, whisking until the sugar is dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted. Add the coffee extract and whisk until smooth. Add the butter and whisk until smooth. Transfer the ganache to a bowl to cool.
• For the salted caramel coffee frosting: If using the espresso powder, mix the espresso powder and the vanilla together in a small bowl until dissolved and set aside.
• Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Add the caramel and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to low, add half of the confectioners' sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the rest of the confectioners' sugar and mix until combined. Add the coffee extract and vanilla (or the espresso powder and vanilla mixture) and continue to mix at medium-high speed until completely incorporated, scraping the sides as necessary. Whip the frosting until fluffy. If necessary, use 1 to 2 tablespoons milk to loosen the frosting.
• To assemble: Cut a small and shallow hole in each cupcake and fill with the ganache. Frost the cupcakes with the salted caramel coffee frosting and sprinkle with a few granules of fleur de sel.

Steps:

• Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325F and line cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• Cream butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
• Add vanilla.
• Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about halfway full.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until cakes test done.
• When done, transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
• Once cool, make the the filling and cut a small round out of each cupcake.
• Drop about 1Teaspoon of filling into each whole in the cupcake and cover it with the piece you cut out.
• Frosting: In a saucepan, stir together granulated sugar and water.
• Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color.
• Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until very smooth.
• Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes, until it is just barely warm and still pourable.
• In a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy.
• Reduce speed to low and add powdered sugar.
• Mix until thoroughly combined.
• Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the caramel.
• Beat on medium high speed until light and airy, and completely mixed (about 2 minutes).
• Mixture should be ready to use without refrigeration. If your caramel was too hot when added, it will cause your icing to be runny. If this happens refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
• Top caramel-filled cupcakes with frosting.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
• Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until blended. Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into lightly greased miniature muffin pans.
• Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
• Microwave semisweet chocolate and 1/4 cup whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in 2 tablespoons whipping cream until smooth. Dip tops of cupcakes in chocolate mixture, and let stand until chocolate is set (about 30 minutes). Pipe or spread Salted Caramel Buttercream onto cupcakes. Garnish, if desired.
• Salted Caramel Buttercream:.
• Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 3 tablespoons milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.
• Melt caramels with 1 tablespoons milk in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Fold caramel mixture into buttercream, creating swirls. (Do not completely blend.).
• Note: To prepare regular-size cupcakes, spoon batter into 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 350º for 22 to 24 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool and decorate as desired. Makes 2 dozen.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending 1 pkg. dry pudding mix into batter before spooning into prepared muffin cups. Cool cupcakes in pans 10 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Use small sharp knife to cut 1-1/4-inch-wide hole in top of each cupcake, being careful to not cut through to bottom of cake. Fill holes with caramel topping; cover with cupcake tops.
• Melt chocolate as directed on package; cool slightly. Beat remaining pudding mix, milk and powdered sugar in large bowl with whisk 2 min.; stir in COOL WHIP. Spread frosting onto cupcakes; drizzle with chocolate. Sprinkle with salt.