Chocolate Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Frosting And Chocolate Fudge Filling Recipes

SUPER MOIST CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 2 liners - this recipe makes about 14 cupcakes. Set aside.
• Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla together until combined. Pour half of the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Then half of the buttermilk. Gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until *just* combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thin.
• Pour or spoon the batter into the liners. Fill only halfway (this is imperative! only halfway!) to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.
• Bake for 18-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting. I usually let them cool in the pan.
• Frost cooled cupcakes however you'd like. I used chocolate buttercream and Wilton 1M piping tip for these pictured cupcakes. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

SKY-HIGH SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make cupcakes as directed on box; cool completely on cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, beat Salted Caramel Cheesecake Filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed just until smooth and well combined. Using melon baller, scoop out center of each cupcake about 1 inch deep. Fill each cupcake with 1 tablespoon filling.
• To make Salted Caramel Buttercream: In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until combined; beat in vanilla. In large microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and 1 tablespoon of the milk uncovered on High about 1 minute or until caramels are melted; stir until smooth. Stir caramel mixture and kosher salt into buttercream mixture until combined, adding remaining milk until smooth and spreadable.
• In small bowl, mix chopped pecans and crushed pretzels. Place buttercream in large decorating bag fitted with large open star tip. Frost 1 cupcake at a time with buttercream, then roll immediately in pecan mixture. Repeat with remaining cupcakes, frosting and rolling in pecan mixture.
• Drizzle cupcakes with caramel topping. Sprinkle with additional kosher salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

SALTED CARAMEL CUPCAKES

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.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH CARAMEL FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease 15 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.
• In a large bowl, stir together the white sugar, flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Make a well in the center, and pour in the water, grape jelly, mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Mix just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared cups, dividing evenly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in the pan set over a wire rack. When cool, arrange the cupcakes on a serving platter.
• Make the frosting while the cupcakes cool. Combine the butter, half-and-half and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Set the pan over a bowl of ice water and whisk or beat with an electric mixer until fluffy. Frost cupcakes when they are completely cool.