Description
Rich chocolate cupcakes filled with gooey caramel and topped with caramel buttercream frosting.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup hot coffee (or hot water)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup thick caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
- Optional: pinch of flaky sea salt for salted caramel
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup caramel sauce (plus more to taste)
- 1–3 tbsp heavy cream or milk (as needed)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp heavy cream (or 1 tbsp butter)
- 12 chocolate candies (Rolo or a similar round chocolate), optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda carrying powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add egg, buttermilk, hot coffee, oil, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth (batter will be thin).
- Fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake 16–18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely.
- Use a cupcake corer or small knife to remove the center of each cupcake (don’t cut through the bottom). Spoon 1–2 teaspoons caramel into each cupcake, then replace a small piece of cake on top to “cap” it.
- Beat butter 1–2 minutes until creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually. Mix in caramel sauce, vanilla, salt, and 1 tbsp cream. Beat 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add more cream if needed for a smooth, pipeable texture.
- Pipe caramel buttercream on each cupcake.
- Microwave chocolate chips + cream in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Drizzle over frosting. Top with a chocolate candy if desired.
Notes
- Use thick caramel sauce for best results.
- Hot coffee enhances the chocolate flavor but can be substituted with hot water.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
Keywords: chocolate caramel cupcakes, rich chocolate cupcakes, caramel buttercream frosting, chocolate drizzle cupcakes, gooey caramel center, salted caramel cupcakes