Salted Caramel Cupcakes

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.)
1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
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.
5 tbsp (70 g) salted butter, softened
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.)
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at 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.
1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
In a small bowl whisk, together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
1 cup + 2 tbsp (141 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp baking soda, 1/4 tsp salt
In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.)
5 tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter, softened, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated white sugar
Add in the egg, egg yolk, almond extract and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed for 1 minute on until pale in color and fluffy.
1 egg, at room temperature, 1 egg yolk, at room temperature, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp vanilla
Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until all is combined together and the batter is smooth. (Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula.)
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 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 in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Add softened butter and salt to a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer on high speed until pale in color and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment.)
3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened, 1/8 tsp salt
Add in salted caramel sauce and mix on medium-high speed until combined.
1/4 cup (70 g) prepared salted caramel sauce from above
Then sift in powdered sugar a little at a time and combine on medium-low speed then high speed until fluffy.
1 1/2 cups (195 g) powdered sugar
Transfer your frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a decorative tip.

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!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramel, caramel cupcakes, cupcakes, salted caramel, salted caramel cupcakes, salted caramel sauce