Is it just me, or does butter seem to disappear almost as quickly as you get it home? I’m always opening my fridge to find that last stick of butter or sometimes worse, the last 2 Tbsp of butter – ahhh. That’s not going to get me far. I bought over six, one pound packages of butter last week. Already gone. Don’t worry, of course I didn’t eat all of what I make with that myself. Most of it I give to neighbors or friends. I cook a lot and bake a ton. A lot of that butter went to experimenting to create a delicious chocolate cupcake. I just recently posted a chocolate cupcake - just yesterday actually (the Almond Joy cupcakes) but I figured with all of that hard work in recipe testing I was going to get two recipes out of such a delicious chocolate cupcake =). Really you could frost the chocolate cupcakes with any frosting you wanted. You can use the fluffy vanilla buttercream I have posted, the chocolate cream cheese frosting, the chocolate buttercream frosting, or the cookies and cream frosting. But this time around, I wanted this to be a wow factor cupcake. An indulgent, melt away with each chocolaty bite cupcake. These are basically chocolate velvet cupcakes crowned with the most luscious caramel frosting. Their texture is so soft and so tender, and they are perfectly moist. I hate dry cupcakes and I hate spongy cupcakes so most likely you will never find any of the two here (unless it’s angel food cake).
I tried different piping and frosting methods on these cupcakes. First I did the basic dome like frosting by hand and smoothed it with an icing spatula. I decided it definitely was not fitting enough for these cupcakes, as I think these require a fancy decoration to showcase such an intensely delicious cupcake. The second time around I piped the frosting with the 2D tip (my favorite) and didn’t know what to do with the caramel. I drizzled it over the top and it just turned it into a sloppy looking mess. Finally my favorite method was to pipe the frosting on, then drizzle the caramel along the edges of the lacy frosting. It may seem a little time consuming so if you don’t care about the look then simply frost them how ever you like. A quicker method would be to use the tip that I used on the Salted Caramel Apple Cupcakes I posted then drizzle the caramel over the top. How ever you decorate them, please just be sure you try these cupcakes. You wont regret it. Enjoy!
Wanna bite?? Make them. Now =).
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 recipe Caramel Frosting, recipe follows
- 1 cup salted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup Caramel Sauce, recipe follows (cooled completely)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt, for sprinkling
- 1 1 /2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp water
- 6 Tbsp salted butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large heat proof mixing bowl, whisk together cocoa powder and baking soda. Carefully pour in boiling water and whisk until bubbling subsides and mixture is well blended, allow to cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend together melted butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, vanilla and salt until well combined, about 30 seconds. Stir in eggs and eggs yolks, mixing just until combined after each addition. Blend in cocoa mixture then blend in heavy cream. Slowly mix in flour and blend until combined, while scraping down sides and bottom of bowl.
- Divide batter among 24 paper lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 - 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in muffin tin several minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool. Cool completely then frost with caramel frosting, drizzle with room temperature caramel sauce (I poured the caramel sauce in a small Ziploc bag and cut a very small tip off end to drizzle) and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Store in an airtight container.
- For the salted caramel frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and blend on low speed until mixture comes together. Add caramel sauce and vanilla and whip on medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.
- For the caramel sauce:
- Gather all of your ingredients and have them nearby ready to add to the mixture as needed. In a heavy-bottomed 3 quart saucepan, heat sugar and water over moderately high heat whisking constantly to dissolve sugar. Once mixture reaches a boil, stop whisking and allow mixture to boil until it reaches a dark amber color, carefully swirling pan occasionally. Once mixture reaches a dark amber color, immediately add butter and whisk until butter has melted then immediately remove from heat. Wait 3 seconds then carefully pour in cream and immediately whisk to combine (it will bubble vigorously). Whisk until mixture is smooth. Allow caramel to cool several minutes then pour into a glass jar to cool completely and refrigerate.
- Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
Averie @ Averie Cooks: Gorgeous job decorating them! I will be honest, the #1 reason my blog lacks for cupcakes is that you can’t not decorate them. And I hate dealing with piping bags! I am the worst (not to mention the wasted frosting on the sides…eeekk, I cringe and hate to waste frosting) But seriously they’re stunning. With photography that’s drop dead beautiful!
And butter. I tell people I go thru 3 or 4 lbs a week and they’re like huh? Yes, I bake alot too :) February 4, 2013 at 10:10pm
Jaclyn: Thanks so much Averie! I know what you mean, not a drop of frosting should ever go wasted =), just turn the bag inside out and lick it clean haha. I may have been guilty of such before. Ah and butter, isn’t it just grand. February 7, 2013 at 7:35pm
Kari@Loaves n Dishes: I’m trying with all my might not to lick the icing from my screen. De- vine! February 5, 2013 at 8:47am
Michele: These are amazing! I LOVE all the butter! Made my day! February 5, 2013 at 12:34pm
Jaclyn: Thanks Michele =)! February 5, 2013 at 10:56pm
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious: Wow, this looks so decadent! I really need to surprise the boyfriend with these. He’s not much of a cupcake eater but I’m sure he will devour this no problem! February 5, 2013 at 12:38pm
Jaclyn: Thanks Chung-Ah! I hope you do make them for him – I think he may just really love them =). February 5, 2013 at 10:57pm
Denny Felizzi: Alrightty then!!!!
I just signed up for email updates yesterday,and look what’s in my in box today.
That’s what i’m talking about!! :-D
You’re the best. February 5, 2013 at 3:08pm
Jaclyn: So glad you’re getting the e-mails from Cooking Classy, and even more glad you are liking what you get =). Thanks for your comment Denny! I hope you continue to enjoy what you find here! February 5, 2013 at 10:59pm
Melanie: Wowzers jaclyn–these look fantastic!! YUM! By the way…I got the light you recommended and i LOVE IT!! Thank you so much!! February 5, 2013 at 8:02pm
Jaclyn: Thanks Melanie and I’m so glad you love it! It makes a big difference I think on those dark days outside. Have a great weekend =)! Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment. February 8, 2013 at 5:10pm
Kristy @ Sweet Treats & More: These just look Heavenly!! February 5, 2013 at 11:51pm
Saskia: Wow,, this cupcake looks so elegant. I will try this for my brother’s marriage proposal. Jaclyn, may I know what the type of spuit u use for the frosting? They swirl beautifully. Thanks. February 6, 2013 at 1:29am
Jaclyn: Thanks Saskia! I used the Wilton 2D tip for the frosting. February 7, 2013 at 7:52pm
Ramona: Wow… that is one beautiful cupcake! I love the new frosting method… looks like ruffles. Well done. :) February 6, 2013 at 6:32pm
Jaclyn: Thanks so much Ramona! February 7, 2013 at 7:47pm
katie: Oh my… this looks to die for!!! February 7, 2013 at 5:14am
Things I like Thursday | Crazy Jamie's Blog: [...] here you go! A pretty cupcake! I LOVE Cupcakes! Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting [...] February 7, 2013 at 1:50pm
Rachel @ Bakerita: I’m making my best friend a birthday cake and I needed a recipe for salted caramel buttercream to go on the chocolate cake…found it! This looks sooo good! February 7, 2013 at 7:03pm
Angela @ Another Bite Please: These photos are amazing…that top picture I just want to grab the cupcake right off the screen! I buy my butter in bulk…as in a case at a time. I just hate running out and lasts a long time so hey why not :-) February 7, 2013 at 8:17pm
Catherine: Thank you for such a great recipe! I was hankering for a caramel frosted cake for a large group of dinner guests (being 8.5 months pregnant didn’t help), and this post popped right on time!
So I only used the frosting and the caramel sauce (I will of course keep the cupcake recipe in mind for the next time I make treats), but they were amazing even on my white cake and received rave reviews from our guests! Thank you for making me look good. :) February 9, 2013 at 8:15am
Jaclyn: That’s great to hear Catherine! Thanks so much for your comment, it does sound delicious with white cake as well =). February 10, 2013 at 10:32am
Liz: Can you use a regular hand mixer for the caramel frosting? I don’t have a stand mixer (yet). February 12, 2013 at 6:48pm
Jaclyn: Liz – Yes that would work fine. I hope you love them! February 12, 2013 at 11:18pm
Katie: I tried making these last week to bring to some friends, and they were SO. GOOD. The frosting is especially amazing; thanks for sharing this recipe! February 15, 2013 at 8:59am
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you enjoyed these Katie and that’s so nice of you to take them to friends – lucky friends you have =). Thanks so much for your comment! February 15, 2013 at 10:48am
Flavor Friday: Try something new this weekend | South Jersey Cupcake: [...] Salted Caramel craze has taken the nation by a storm and it’s showing in the cupcake world. Cooking Classy debuted their version of the sweet/salty combination and if it tastes anything like the picture [...] February 15, 2013 at 1:00pm
Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting: [...] via Cooking Classy [...] February 16, 2013 at 7:10am
Lora: Just made your cupcakes and icing! They smell and look to die for… and I’ve already sampled the icing :) I was nervous about the caramel sauce but it turned out great. I made them for a friend’s baby shower tomorrow afternoon. I would like to wait to ice the cupcakes until just before the shower. How should I store the icing – just tightly covered on the counter? Thanks! February 16, 2013 at 11:13am
Jaclyn: Lora – okay so I most often store my buttercream in an airtight container in the fridge if I’m not using it that day and then let it come to room temp and re-whip it a bit until it’s fluffy again when ready to use it. I wanted to see if that was just me so I checked around and found they also did it here:
https://www.slice-heaven.com/store/show/SCIRecipe
then also found this:
http://www.ehow.com/how_8240553_store-buttercream-icing.html
I not a trained professional so I just always go by the method I’ve felt works best from experience and I like how it stores in the fridge better. I hope that helps – oh and so sorry if this answer came too late! February 17, 2013 at 10:45pm
Kailene: Would the caramel sauce be ok made with brown sugar instead of white? March 3, 2013 at 5:14pm
Jaclyn: For this recipe I would recommend the white and if you want to use brown sugar I would recommend a caramel sauce recipe more like one of these two:
http://www.recipesnobs.com/2012/03/homemade-caramel-sauce.html
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Bread-Pudding-with-Caramel-Sauce-104182 March 3, 2013 at 9:28pm
sammy: Hi Jaclyn , I can’t wait to try this recipe. My son’s school is having a cake sale on Friday and I’m definitely trying these scrummies, just one question as I’m gonna make them, pipe the icing at night shall I put them in the fridge or just on the counter until next morning?? Thanks a lot and keep inspiring :) March 11, 2013 at 2:39pm
Jaclyn: I’d recommend frosting them the following day or if you do decided to frost them the day before I’d store them in the fridge in an airtight container then bring them to room temp before serving. Sorry this comment is so delayed I’ve been on vacation. March 19, 2013 at 3:57pm
Mary: I’m curious about the consistency of the frosting. Should it be soft frosting-like or should it be firmer?
Thanks. March 31, 2013 at 8:47pm
Jaclyn: Mary – It should be soft. Hope you like it if you try it! April 2, 2013 at 6:46pm
Mary: Thanks. I am trying to find a recipe that has more firmness to it (not too runny)… any suggestions? April 2, 2013 at 6:55pm
Jaclyn: I would say just to use less caramel to achieve the desired firmness, hope that helps! April 2, 2013 at 7:43pm
Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting…RECIPE! | Southern Belle Baker: [...] http://www.cookingclassy.com/2013/02/chocolate-cupcakes-with-salted-caramel-frosting/ [...] April 2, 2013 at 4:52pm
aimee: I made these for a baby shower this weekend and they were heaven! I’m not a huge chocolate fan in general, but these turned me into one. dense and moist….so good! The frosting was to die for. This will forever be my go to chocolate cupcake recipe.
Thank you for posting! April 10, 2013 at 1:57pm
Jaclyn: I am glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for the comment! April 13, 2013 at 6:02pm
Catherine: This recipe was amazing, the frosting was to die for! Yummy!! Thanks so much May 4, 2013 at 11:03am
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you thought so Catherine :) thanks for your comment and you’re very welcome! May 11, 2013 at 10:57pm
emily: that looks amazing!! im going to try this tomorrow, did you use muffin pan to make them hold in shapes? because mine were always fell apart and came out not evenly May 10, 2013 at 4:25am
Jaclyn: Yes they need a muffin pan and line the muffin pan with paper muffin liners. Hope you love them! May 11, 2013 at 8:24pm
Danielle: I love the look of the frosting. Could you tell me what tip you used? May 19, 2013 at 2:27am
Jaclyn: I used the wilton 2D its one of my favorites. May 19, 2013 at 8:15pm
Alexandra @ Confessions of a Bright-Eyed Baker: Gorgeous cupcakes!! I’m totally in love with salted caramel, and chocolate cupcakes are my favorite, so these are like something from my dreams. :) Sometimes I feel the same way about the butter in my house… I know I’m not eating it all myself but I still cringe when I realize how quickly it’s going! May 28, 2013 at 12:05pm
Jaclyn: Thanks Alexandra! Yes the butter problem… But I just can’t live without :). May 29, 2013 at 10:11am