Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
These chocolate caramel cupcakes are pure decadence—moist chocolate cake topped with salted caramel buttercream frosting, and finished with drizzles of chocolate ganache and even more salted caramel. The ultimate chocolate caramel indulgence!
These chocolate caramel cupcakes are like the dessert version of an ’80s power ballad—rich, dramatic, and totally unforgettable.
Moist chocolate cake topped with salted caramel buttercream and drizzled with chocolate ganache and more caramel? Put up your lighters and cue the slow clap.
The cupcakes are my easy classic chocolate cupcake recipe which is a tried and true chocolate cupcake lover’s dream.
Chocolate and caramel are the ultimate power couple and indulgence—because when it comes to dessert, more is more, babe.
Chocolate and caramel make the perfect pair, so be sure to check out my chocolate turtle cupcakes, candy bar cupcakes and salted caramel dessert cups.
Ingredients for Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Dark cocoa powder – Or dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Boiling water
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegetable oil – Any neutral baking oil.
- Eggs – Room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar
- Salted caramel sauce
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Heavy cream
Other Components
- Salted caramel sauce
- Chocolate ganache
- Flaky sea salt
How to Make Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
Step 1: Make the cupcake batter. Combine the chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and boiling water. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the chocolate mixture and mix to combine. Add the remaining wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth.
Step 2: Bake the cupcakes. Portion the cupcake batter into cupcake liners and bake the cupcakes.
Step 3: Make the buttercream. Whip the butter. Add in the powdered sugar, salted caramel sauce, vanilla extract, salt, and heavy cream. Mix the frosting until it is smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Assemble the cupcakes. Pipe a swirl of the caramel buttercream onto the cupcakes. Drizzle the cupcakes with salted caramel sauce and chocolate ganache and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Courtney’s Expert Cupcake Baking Tips
- Make the salted caramel sauce ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Heat the caramel in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between, to melt the caramel until it has a melted but thick consistency.
- Make sure the caramel sauce and chocolate ganache are not too hot when drizzling over the buttercream so it doesn’t melt the frosting. You can frost the cupcakes and then chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help prevent melting.
- Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to easily drizzle the sauces over the cupcakes.
- Check out my posts on tips for making the best cupcakes, best buttercream frosting, and my favorite cupcake baking supplies for even more helpful tips and tricks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can! Some store-bought caramel sauces can be a bit thin, so opt for a thicker one so it doesn’t drip off the cupcakes. However, I highly recommend trying out my easy homemade salted caramel sauce. It requires only 5 ingredients and about 15 minutes to make! Make it ahead to save on time on your cupcake baking day.
Absolutely! The more caramel the better! Use an apple corer to remove the center of the chocolate cupcakes and pipe additional salted caramel into the centers. Then, frost and decorate as directed.
The chocolate cupcake batter is very thin in this recipe. The best, easiest, and cleanest way I have found to portion the cupcake batter is to use a liquid measuring cup or bowl with a spout. Pour the batter into the cupcake liners about ⅔-¾ full. If the batter looks uneven, use a teaspoon to move some of the batter around to get even cupcakes.
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Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (22 g) dark or dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (180 ml) boiling water
- ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) baking soda
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) salted caramel sauce (recipe)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Chocolate Ganache
- ¼ cup (45 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream
Additional Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (75 g) salted caramel sauce (recipe)
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) flaky sea salt
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the dark cocoa/dutch-process cocoa powder, semisweet chocolate chips, and boiling water until the chocolate chips are melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt. Pour in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract, and whisk until the cupcake batter is well combined and smooth (the batter will be thin).
- Portion the cupcake batter into the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔-¾ full. Use a large liquid measuring cup or a bowl with a spout to easily fill the liners.
- Bake the cupcakes for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes bounce back slightly when gently touched. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Make one batch of my salted caramel sauce for this recipe to use in the salted caramel buttercream frosting and as the caramel drizzle. You can make the caramel sauce up to 1 month in advance.
Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Add in the salted caramel sauce, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy.
Chocolate Ganache
- Combine the semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Fill a piping bag fitted with a Wilton 1M piping tip with the salted caramel buttercream frosting. Pipe a generous swirl of frosting onto the cupcakes.
- Use piping bags or squeeze bottles to drizzle the salted caramel sauce and chocolate ganache onto the frosted cupcakes. Sprinkle the cupcakes with flaky sea salt.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day.
- Refrigerator: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
AMAZING
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
So excited to make these. The cupcake is very, very good and moist as far as the icing. It’s very very sweet. My caramel seized up. I made a cooked icing and filled the cupcakes, which is delicious.
Hi Holly! Glad you enjoyed the chocolate cupcakes. Sorry to hear the caramel seized up on you. Were all of the ingredients room temperature? Adding cold butter or cream to the caramel can cause it to seize up. Yes, the frosting is sweet as it is buttercream with caramel sauce added to it. I’m happy to hear that you made a cooked icing that you enjoyed!