Friday, March 30, 2012

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes



I'm warning you now.  These are sinful!  The coarse salt offsets the sweet caramel and chocolate curls perfectly.  I could eat this buttercream with a spoon.

You NEED to make these right now and then devour 3 of them before anyone in your house notices that you're baking.  You will NOT regret it.

Well, ok, so you might think twice about it tomorrow morning when you step on the scale but these cupcakes are worth it.  I promise.

I have to give credit to Kate of Grin and Bake It for her caramel recipe that I tweaked for this caramel buttercream.


You can download the recipe from Scribd here.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

1 box chocolate cake mix (I prefer Pillsbury)
3 eggs
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup water
3 tbs dutch-process cocoa powder

On low for one minute, beat cake mix, eggs, butter, water and cocoa powder.  Increase speed to med-high and beat for one more minute or until batter is smooth.  Do not overmix.  Scoop into lined cupcake pan filling cups 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Cool in pan for 5 minutes before moving to cooking rack.


Salted Caramel Buttercream  adapted from Grin and Bake It (she has pics of the caramel that I found helpful my first time through)

½ CUP SUGAR
2 TBS WATER
¼ CUP HEAVY CREAM
 1 ½ TSP VANILLA
1 CUP BUTTER, SOFTENED
5 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR


ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
FRAN’S CARAMEL (or your favorite caramel sauce)
COARSE SALT
CHOCOLATE CURLS (I get mine at a local kitchen shop but you could make your own or just use shaved chocolate)
Stir sugar and water in a small pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber in color, about 5 minutes. Do NOT stir it.  Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla (start with a few spoonfuls), stirring until completely smooth. Set aside until cool to the touch.

Beat butter in a large bowl.  Add powdered sugar and about 1/3-1/2 of caramel.  Beat until mixed, adding caramel in small amounts until buttercream is the right texture.  I really go by feel on this.  All of the caramel is a little too much but I use ¾ or more of it.
Pipe onto cupcakes.  Working with 4 cupcakes at a time, drizzle Fran’s Caramel (or your favorite caramel sauce) over the top.  I find that I have to soften it a little in the microwave first.  Sprinkle a pinch of coarse salt over cupcakes and then sprinkle chocolate curls on top.




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17 comments:

cupsbykim said...

These look so good! I love chocolate and caramel together! I'd love for you to share these at my link party, Sweet & Simple Sunday!

http://cupsbykim.blogspot.com/2012/03/sweet-simple-sunday-3.html

Hope you can stop by!!

Maria said...

Mmm these look really good, I love the salted caramel flavor in pretty much anything! Thanks for sharing!

Emily said...

Thanks, Maria!

Kim, I'll stop by tonight. Thanks for the invite.

Michelle said...

Those look so good...I'm not sure I could stop at just three! :)

cheapcraftymama said...

Those look wonderful! I would love for you to share it (and any other creations) at my new linky party- "Pin It and Win It Wednesday" @ www.cheapcraftymama.com!

Kimberly T. said...

Yum, yum, and yum!! Those look amazing and I can only imagine how good they taste!

Carrie @ My Favorite Finds said...

Just pinned these! Thanks for sharing at Wow Me Wednesdays!

Simply Tasheena said...

Oh my! This looks amazing :). I would love for you to linky up at my Linky Party via: http://ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com/2012/04/show-me-what-you-got-linky-party-8.html to share this recipe with my readers.

Mrs. Delightful
www.ourdelightfulhome.blogspot.com

Corrie @ Supermom On Wheels said...

Whoa, these look down right decadent! Wow, is all I can think of.

Unknown said...

These cupcakes look really good. I really like the caramel and chocolate on the top too!!

I would love if you would share this any other posts at my new link party: Showcase Your Talent Thursday
http://whatscookinglove.blogspot.com/2012/04/showcase-your-talent-thursday-1.html
Thanks and hope to see you there!

Meaningful Mama said...

You had me at salted carmel. This buttercream sounds delicious.

Alison @ Oopsey Daisy said...

Oh my, these look dangerously good!! Thanks for sharing at oopsey daisy!

Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust said...

These are beautiful cupcakes! And they sound beyond dangerous. I may just have to throw away my scale...

ErikaV said...

That caramel buttercream sounds delish! That is one I haven't done, amazingly enough. I say that bc I am a HUGE caramel fan! :) Thank you so much for sharing this! I found you thru Sunday blog hop and now following along thru GFC.

Have a great weekend and come by if you get a chance!
Erika @ Southern Belle as an Army Wife

Emily said...

Thank you everyone for the sweet comments!

Momofthree said...

I am definitely going to make these. I am drooling just looking at the pictures! I just found your blog today and I think I will be making a few of the recipes. I will need to bring them to work to share or I can see all of my weight loss efforts flying out the window;)

You mentioned portable smores in an early post - are you still planning on sharing those?

Emily said...

Momofthree-Yes, the portable smores will be coming. I promise!

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