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Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes with Rich Frosting and Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 58 reviews

Indulge in these irresistibly rich Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes, perfectly moist and tender with a deep chocolate flavor enhanced by espresso powder. Topped with a silky cocoa buttercream and a luscious homemade salted caramel center, these cupcakes deliver a beautifully balanced sweet and salty experience that’s sure to delight any dessert lover.

Ingredients

Scale

Cupcakes

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp instant espresso powder
  • ¼ cup boiling water

Frosting

  • ½ cup salted butter, softened
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tbsp heavy cream

Caramel Sauce

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp salted butter
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Get Your Oven and Pan Ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners and optionally spray liners lightly with non-stick spray to ensure cupcakes release easily.
  2. Whisk the Dry Goodies: In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cocoa powder (sifted to remove lumps), baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well until evenly distributed.
  3. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
  4. Bring Wet and Dry Together: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold gently until the batter is smooth and thick with no streaks of flour visible.
  5. Secret Chocolate Boost: Dissolve the instant espresso powder in boiling water, then slowly add it to the batter, folding gently to incorporate without splashing. This deepens the chocolate flavor without overpowering.
  6. Fill, Rise, and Bake: Divide the batter evenly into cupcake liners, filling about two-thirds full. Bake in the preheated oven for 16–18 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Let Them Chill: Allow cupcakes to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  8. Make the Frosting Your Way: Beat softened salted butter until creamy. Add cocoa powder, half the powdered sugar, and a tablespoon of heavy cream. Mix on low speed initially, then gradually add the remaining powdered sugar and cream until frosting is soft, smooth, and pipeable. Adjust cream or sugar as desired for texture and sweetness.
  9. Make the Caramel Sauce: In a dry saucepan over medium heat, sprinkle granulated sugar and stir gently until it melts evenly and turns a golden amber color. Remove from heat; carefully whisk in butter until melted and combined. Slowly pour in heavy cream while whisking continuously—it will bubble and foam. Return to medium heat for 60 seconds, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Let cool slightly to thicken.
  10. Pipe Your Signature Frosting Circle: Pipe a thick circular ring of frosting on each cooled cupcake, leaving a hollow center to hold caramel.
  11. Caramel Surprise! Spoon a small dollop of caramel sauce into the center of each frosting ring. Let the frosting set slightly to secure the caramel. Serve and enjoy your rich, decadent cupcakes.

Notes

  • Sift cocoa powder with dry ingredients to avoid lumps and ensure a silky batter.
  • Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting and caramel spillage.
  • Melt sugar slowly over medium heat to avoid burning and achieve a perfect golden caramel color.
  • Pipe frosting thickly enough to contain caramel without spilling.
  • Check cupcakes at 16 minutes; toothpick should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter to avoid dry cupcakes.

Keywords: Chocolate cupcakes, caramel sauce, chocolate caramel cupcakes, cocoa cupcakes, homemade caramel, espresso powder in cupcakes

Find it online: https://cookedbycleo.com/chocolate-caramel-cupcakes-with-rich-frosting-and-homemade-caramel-sauce-recipe/