Caramel Filled Cupcakes
These luscious caramel filled cupcakes are moist and oozing with gooey homemade caramel! They're topped with indulgent caramel whipped cream.
Servings 12 cupcakes
Equipment
- mixing bowls
- deep, heavy saucepan (at least 3 quart/3 liter capacity)
- a 12-cavity cupcake pan
- cupcake liners
- hand mixer (or stand mixer)
Ingredients
For the salted caramel
- 1 ½ cups (300g) sugar
- 1 ½ cups (375ml / 12 fl oz) heavy whipping cream
- 90g (6 tablespoons / 3oz) unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ teaspoon table salt (or more to taste)
For the cupcakes
- 1 ¼ cup (155g / 5.5oz) all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup (57 g / 2oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- 1 medium egg, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ cup (125ml / 4.4 fl oz) buttermilk (or regular milk mixed with ½ tablespoon of vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons light vegetable oil
For the stabilized caramel whipped cream
- ¾ cup (200ml) heavy whipping cream with at least 36% milk fat, cold
- ¾ teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 4 tablespoons caramel (from above) (+ more for drizzling)
- ¼ cup (28 g / 1 oz) powdered sugar (optional for a sweeter frosting)
Instructions
Make the salted caramel
- Heat the heavy whipping cream (1 ½ cups), but don't boil it. Place it close to the stove with the remaining ingredients.
- Place the sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.
- Don't stir the sugar. After about 3 minutes or so, the sugar will begin to melt around the sides. Use a whisk or a spatula to stir the sugar so it all melts.
- When it starts to bubble in the middle, add ⅓ of the cream and whisk the mixture continuously. DO NOT ADD ALL THE CREAM AT ONCE (to avoid getting burnt)! It will bubble up and steam, but just keep whisking it. Then add a little more cream and continue whisking.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and add the remaining cream. Whisk until it’s well combined.
- Add the butter and keep whisking to fully incorporate everything.
- Finally, add the salt and whisk again. Let it cool for a few minutes and then taste it to see if you want to add more salt.
- Pour the caramel into a bowl to cool.
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ / 175℃.
- Line the cupcake pan with liners. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture and mix well. Then add the buttermilk and oil and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until JUST combined. Don't overmix.
- Fill the cupcake liners with the batter, a little over halfway full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- When done, take them out of the oven and allow them to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the stabilized caramel whipped cram
- Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the cold water and stir. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. Set aside.
- In a cold mixing bowl, pour in the cold heavy cream (¾ cup), and the powdered sugar (if using) and beat on medium speed until you get very soft peaks.
- Add 4 tablespoons of the caramel sauce and beat for about 10 seconds. Taste to see if you want to add more caramel.
- Melt the gelatin for about 5 seconds in the microwave. Stir it until it's runny and there are no lumps. If you don't have a microwave, put the bowl with the gelatin over another bowl filled with hot water, stirring continuously until the gelatin dissolves and is runny.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour the gelatin and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium and beat until you get firm peaks that hold their shape. Don't overmix, or it will get chunky and turn into butter.
- Fill a pastry bag with the caramel whipped cream and your favorite tip (I use Wilton 1M).
Assemble & Decorate
- Cut a piece from the middle of each cupcake (about 1 inch) using an apple corer or a small knife.
- Fill each cupcake with caramel, about 1- 1½ tablespoons each. Fill all the way to the top at the same level as the surface of the cupcake.
- Pipe swirls of caramel frosting on top of each cupcake.
- Drizzle more caramel sauce on top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
You can keep these cupcakes at room temperature for about two hours. After that, you'll need to refrigerate them in an airtight container for up to about 4 days.
Picture Tutorial & Tips
I have a detailed picture tutorial in my post to help you out with each step of the recipe as well as lots of tips to ensure success.
Baking Measurements
I have used weight measurements for all the recipes on this website. Even though I have also included American volume measurements for convenience, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to weigh all ingredients for the most accurate measurements. Digital kitchen scales are more precise than cups, which is so important in baking, and they give the most accurate, consistent results. Happy baking!
©Pastry Wishes
