If you love caramel, this recipe for Salted Caramel Cupcakes is a must try. They are so delicious and topped with indulgent salted caramel frosting.
This decadent recipe is very simple to make and turns out so rich and luscious. The cupcakes are soft and fluffy while the frosting is loaded with caramel.
I am a busy mom so I understand the need for delicious cupcake recipes without tons of work. Our family loves caramel flavor and I also make the absolute best No Bake Salted Caramel Pie Recipe and Salted Caramel Apple Pie Recipe.
You might also love Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie Recipe, Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe and Caramel Stuffed Cookies. I love this flavor and also make Homemade Caramel Apples.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe
- Decadent Homemade Frosting. It is so rich and delicious.
- Salted Caramel filling. One bite of these cupcakes and you will be hooked.
- Homemade without a ton of work. These easy step by step instructions make it simple to make homemade cupcakes.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- All Purpose Flour. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup instead of scooping it.
- Butter. Softened at room temperature.
- Sugar. White granulated sugar.
- Eggs. Large eggs.
- vanilla. Pure vanilla extract.
- whole milk. This is recommended instead of reduced fat milk.
- Salted Caramel Sauce. Store bought is fine or you can make Homemade Caramel Sauce Recipe.
Frosting
- Brown Sugar. Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe is so easy to make.
- Powdered Sugar. Sift the powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
- Sea Salt. The sweet and salty is a great combination.
Skip the bottom of the post to find the complete ingredient list in the recipe card.
Variations
- Chocolate cupcakes. This frosting is delicious with chocolate cupcakes or mocha cupcakes for a change of caramel flavor.
- Filled Cupcakes. You can use a cupcake corer to remove the middle of the cupcake and add any filling you love. You don’t have to use caramel.
How to Make Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners. Then combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
Step 2. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy with a paddle attachment.
Step 3. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
Step 4. Then mix in the vanilla extract and whisk together.
Step 5. Slowly add the flour mixture and the milk alternatively into the butter mixture until just combined.
Step 6. Pour the batter into the cupcake pan, filling them up approximately ¾ full.
Step 7. Bake the cupcakes. Allow to cool.
Step 8. Then use a small paring knife to cut out a small piece of the cupcake out of the center of the cupcakes.
Step 9. Fill each ole with caramel.
Step 10. Make the frosting. Add the brown sugar, butter and heavy whipping cream to a saucepan. Heat over low heat.
Step 11. Stir the ingredients until the butter is melted. Continue to heat and stir over low heat for at least 1 minute.
Cook for 3-6 more minutes until the mixture turns an amber color and bubbles form across the top of the mixture.
Step 12. Remove from heat and pour into a large heat resistant mixing bowl. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Add in the powdered sugar and sea salt.
Step 13. Mix with a hand held mixer until the mixture is smooth and combined. Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula.
If the frosting is too thick, gradually add in more heavy whipping cream (1 teaspoon at a time) until the frosting is a good consistency.
Step 14. Pipe the frosting on top of each cupcakes and drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce.
Then the cupcakes are ready to serve and enjoy! This frosting is also great on a layer cake.
Pro Tips
- Brown Sugar. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. However, we prefer dark brown sugar because it provides a richer caramel taste than light brown sugar.
- Topping Ideas. More ideas include salted pretzels, Mini Reece’s Cups, dark chocolate chips, chocolate chunks, sea salt flakes and more.
- Caramel Sauce. You can use store bought caramel sauce or homemade caramel sauce.
- Soften the butter. Prior to making the frosting, allow the butter to soften so it will combine smoothly. The texture is smoother and easier to mix when you beat the butter.
- Use good quality cupcake liners. This will ensure the paper peels away nicely from the cupcakes.
- Allow cupcakes to cool before frosting. Each cupcake should be completely cool before frosting. If you rush this step, the frosting will slide off the cupcakes and not hold its shape.
FAQ’s
Place the leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days. Make sure they are inside an airtight container.
The cupcakes are best frozen without icing. Place inside a freezer container and freeze up to 2 months.
When ready to enjoy, thaw the cupcakes at room temperature. Then you can frost the cupcakes as you desire.
You can make the cupcakes in advance, but we suggest not decorating any more than 24 hours ahead of time. The caramel buttercream frosting on top will start to lose its shape.
Also, the caramel drizzle will make the cupcakes soggy.
More Easy Cupcakes
Now it’s your turn to make this decadent salted caramel cupcake recipe. Once you give this a try, please leave a comment.
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes:
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Butter softened
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cup Salted Caramel Sauce
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake liners.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugar with a hand held or stand up mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
- Slowly add the flour mixture and the milk alternatively into the butter mixture until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the cupcake tins, filling them up approximately ¾ full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops spring back when touched and are just starting to brown.
- Let the cupcake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Use a small paring knife to cut out a small piece of the cupcake out of the center of the cupcakes. Fill that hole with caramel.
For the Frosting:
- Add the brown sugar, butter and heavy whipping cream to a saucepan. Heat over low heat.
- Stir the ingredients until the butter is melted. Continue to heat and stir over low heat for at least 1 minute.
- Then increase the heat to medium high heat and do not stir the mixture.
- Cook for 3-6 more minutes until the mixture turns an amber color and bubbles form across the top of the mixture.
- Remove from heat and pour into a large heat resistant mixing bowl. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Add in the powdered sugar and sea salt. Mix with a hand held mixer until the mixture is smooth and combined. If the frosting is too thick, gradually add in more heavy whipping cream (1 teaspoon at a time) until the frosting is a good consistency.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes and drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce. Then the cupcakes are ready to serve and enjoy!
Really good cupcake but you forget to include when and how to add milk to the batter.
I’m so sorry about that. I corrected the recipe in the post. The milk is added when the flour is added to the butter mixture.