Caramel Filled Cupcakes

5 from 1 vote

These delicious cupcakes are made from soft vanilla cupcakes filled with a homemade salted caramel filling and swirled with a smooth cream cheese caramel frosting.

Prep Time1

Cook Time12

Course: Cupcakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 368kcal

Author: Cat Spiller

Equipment

2x 12-hole cupcake pans

Ingredients

Vanilla Cupcakes

120 ml sunflower oil
3 eggs extra-large
250 g sugar white granulated
290 g self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
270 ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Salted Caramel

100 g sugar white granulated
60 ml heavy cream
80 g butter unsalted
2 teaspoon sea salt

Caramel Frosting

600 g powdered sugar
100 g butter unsalted
250 g cream cheese
½ cup salted caramel from above
100 g salted caramel pieces

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Vanilla Cupcakes

Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line 24 cupcake liners into two 12-hole cupcake pans.
Add the oil, eggs, and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Sift together the salt and flour then add the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until just combined.
Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a jug, and slowly pour this into the cupcake batter with the mixer's motor running at low speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, making sure it is lump-free.
Pour the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners using a jug or ice cream scoop, filling each case two-thirds of the way up.
Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Salted Caramel

Add the sugar to a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat.
Whisk continuously until the sugar has melted. Once melted, stop whisking and allow the sugar to turn a light amber color. Be careful not to burn the sugar.
When amber in color, remove the sugar from the heat and add the cream, whisk until incorporated.
Slowly add the cubed butter to the caramel, one at a time, whisking as you go. Once all the butter has been added, continue to whisk until it has all melted.
Add the sea salt to the caramel and whisk to combine. Pour the caramel into a glass jar and allow the caramel to cool to room temperature.

Caramel Frosting

Add the icing sugar and butter to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 2 minutes.
Add ½ cup of the cooled caramel and beat again.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat at medium-high speed for a further 3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag with the frosting. Fill a second piping bag with the remaining caramel.
Use an apple or cupcake corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Fill the center of each cupcake with the homemade caramel and then pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake. Decorate with caramel pieces and extra caramel sauce. Enjoy!

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