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5 from 1 vote

Salted Caramel Almond Cupcakes

These salted caramel almond cupcakes are a caramel lover's DREAM! Soft almond cupcakes filled with caramel sauce and topped with caramel frosting.
Prep Time1 hr
Cook Time16 mins
Assembling Time20 mins
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

For the Salted Caramel

  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 5 tablespoon salted butter, softened
  • ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt (¼ tsp-½ teaspoon depending on your preference)

For the Almond Cupcakes

  • 5 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoon all purpose flour, sifted
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ⅛ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature

For the Salted Caramel Frosting

  • 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, softened
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon prepared salted caramel sauce from above
  • 2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

For the Salted Caramel Sauce

  • Add the granulated white sugar to a large sauce pan and heat it over medium low heat. As the sugar is heating it will crystalize and then eventually all melt down and turn golden in color. When most of the sugar has melted, but there are still a few crystalized clumps, turn the heat down to low so the melted sugar doesn't burn. (Melting all the sugar takes around 20 minutes.)
  • Once all the sugar has melted and turned golden in color, add in the room temperature, softened butter right away. Stir quickly until the butter is incorporated.
  • Then add in the room temperature heavy cream and stir quickly again to incorporate everything together. (At this point if you see the butter and cream start to separate from the sugar turn the heat up to medium low and stir vigorously to combine everything together. This can happen if your butter and cream aren't room temperature.)
  • Lastly, add in the sea salt and vanilla and stir to combine. Remove the caramel from the heat and allow to cool completely before using.

For the Almond Cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
  • Start by creaming the butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer.
  • Add in the egg, almond extract and vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute until pale in color and fluffy.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
  • Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients a little at a time until all is combined together and the batter is smooth.
  • Fill the cupcake liners ¾ of the way full.
  • Bake the cupcakes for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the centers.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely before assembling.

For the Salted Caramel Buttercream

  • Add softened butter and salt to a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until pale in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in salted caramel sauce and mix until combined.
  • Then sift in powdered sugar a little at a time and combine.
  • Transfer your frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.

Assembling the Cupcakes

  • Transfer the remaining salted caramel sauce to a piping bag.
  • When the cupcakes are completely cooled, remove a bit of the centers of each. (A cupcake corer really helps with this!)
  • Pipe salted caramel sauce into the center of each cupcake.
  • Then pipe a generous amount of frosting onto each. Drizzle extra salted caramel sauce on to each cupcake. Serve!

Notes

Store leftovers in an air tight container for up to three days.