SALTED CARAMEL DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting and Salted Caramel Drizzle

This is a simple and approachable chocolate cupcake recipe.  However the Salted Caramel Frosting and Salted Caramel Drizzle are fairly difficult to make.  But you can omit the difficult “candy making” steps by buying the Salted Caramel Sauce directly off my blog or finding a comparable product at a high end grocery store.  HOWEVER the work these cupcakes entail IS WELL WORTH IT!  This isn’t even one of my favorite flavor combos but the taste created by using fresh homemade caramel sauce makes this one of the BEST CUPCAKES OF ALL TIME HANDS DOWN!! My favorite cupcake is my Espresso/Dark Chocolate Cupcake with Espresso Frosting but this one is a close 2^nd!!  You can all break up the labor needed for this cupcake by making your Caramel Sauce before you make the cakes and the frosting can also be pre-made and then just brought to room temperature and re-whipped when you are ready to decorate.

If you are going to tackle all the steps in this recipe yourself I suggest you make your Caramel Sauce Drizzle first and then make the Caramel part of the Salted Caramel Frosting as this part will need to cool.  That way when your cupcakes are baking/cooling you can finish your Salted Caramel Frosting and decorate the cupcakes once they are cooled.

Makes about 16 cupcakes

Heat oven to 350

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients for Cupcakes:

½ whole milk

1 tsp white vinegar

½ dark cocoa powder

½ boiling water

1 ½ cup white sugar

½ cup shortening

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

In a bowl mix together the milk and vinegar.  It will sour and curdle the milk or you could just use butter milk and omit this step.  In a mixing bowl add the cocoa powder and the hot water mix well.  Then add the soured milk, sugar, shortening, vanilla and eggs—mix together.

Then add the flour and the baking soda and mix JUST until the ingredients are incorporated.

Place cupcake papers in your cupcake tray.  I use an ice cream scoop to ensure all my cupcakes are the same size.  Fill just over half-way for each cupcake.  Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Check with a toothpick or a fork--if it comes out clean it is done.  Remove from pan and cool on a cooling rack.

While your cupcakes are cooling.  You can make your Salted Caramel for your frosting.  

Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

1/3 cup salted butter--room temp
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup homemade (recipe is below) or store bought caramel sauce--at room temp 

2 ish TBS heavy whipping cream
1 tsp pure vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

4 to 5 cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions:

Beat butter and shortening on high about 2 minutes.  Scrape sides of the bowl.  Add cooled caramel sauce and vanilla. Beat until mixed.  Add powdered sugar and salt (optional).  Frosting will appear dry add your heavy whipping cream 1 TBS at a time until frosting is light and fluffy.  Add more whipping cream if needed.  

This frosting is incredibly rich and when I am frosting large orders I will often make this frosting and then make an equal amount of Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and combine the two.  It stretches out your frosting but without losing the Salted Caramel taste.

Use a piping bag to frost each cupcake.  You can place your frosted cupcakes in the fridge to harden the frosting or you can chill your Salted Caramel Drizzle before topping your cupcakes with it.

Salted Caramel Sauce "Drizzle"

HOMEMADE SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE

  

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups granulated sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tablespoon flaky sea salt

**You will want to have all your ingredients measured and ready to go before you start the cooking process as a matter of a few extra seconds can burn your caramel.  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Add the sugar in an even layer over the bottom of a heavy large saucepan.  Heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking it as it begins to melt. You'll see that the sugar will begin to form clumps, but that's okay. Just keep whisking and as it continues to cook, they will melt back down.

Stop whisking once all of the sugar has melted, and swirl the pan occasionally while the sugar cooks.

2. Continue cooking until the sugar has reached a deep amber color.This is the point where caramel can go from PERFECT TO BURNT in a matter of seconds, so keep a close eye. Cook the sugar until it reaches 350 degrees F.  Watch it VERY closely and I pull it right before it reaches 350 as it will continue to hike after you remove it.  

3. As soon as the caramel reaches 350 degrees, add the butter all at once. Be careful, as the caramel will bubble up and spatter when the butter is added. Whisk the butter into the caramel until it is completely melted.

4. Then slowly pour the cream into the caramel. Again, be careful because the mixture will once again bubble up ferociously.

Whisk until all of the cream has been incorporated and you have a smooth sauce. Add the sea salt and whisk to incorporate.

5. Set the sauce aside to cool for 10 to 15 minutes and then pour into your favorite glass jar and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate the sauce for up to 4 weeks. You may want to warm the sauce slightly before using.

Now have fun with decorating your cupcakes.  I use a squeeze bottle to administer my drizzle.   You can store your caramel sauce for up to two weeks in an air tight glass jar in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Love Tata!