Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Dark chocolate salted caramel cupcakes are decadent, made with moist dark chocolate cake and topped with salted caramel buttercream. Mocha cupcake goodness!
Despite today being Monday, I am not feeling the usual Monday blues because of the wonderful wedding of the weekend. There is something about weddings that just puts one in a very good mood. Or I might just be a romantic at heart and it’s about time I stop denying it.
My friend’s wedding was a beautiful fairy tale; one of those you see in a chick flick movie. The bride is a country girl and throughout the planning, we struggled to combine that with a simple/ elegant theme. At the end of the day, she pulled it off perfectly. She got married in the beautiful backyard grounds of her childhood, above a creek where she rode down to the ceremony in a horse and carriage. Yes, not kidding. Her mother surprised her with that. It was super awesome and was definitely a tear-jerker.
The reception and party were held in an elegantly decorated tent, studded with shades of purple (regency and wisteria to be exact) and hints of the couple’s favorite pastime: fishing. We danced our (troubled) feet out till the wee hours celebrating the newlyweds. I am still recuperating from all the excitement and jello shots!
Ok, I’m sure you are not here for wedding details but rather for these dark chocolate salted caramel cupcakes.
I made them for friends last weekend during my birthday celebrations. They’re called dark chocolate salted caramel cupcakes, but the consensus was “Mocha chocolate goodness”. I think that describes them perfectly because it’s a moist dark chocolate cake, topped with salted caramel buttercream.
I made homemade caramel sauce, using this recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod, using it in the frosting. The sauce is SO good on its own and we have been drizzling it on everything from ice cream to cookies. Next time I make these cupcakes, I will fill them with the salted caramel sauce for some added oomph. You totally should if you would like added salted caramel flavor!
Enjoy these dark chocolate salted caramel cupcakes, and let me know what you think of the recipe!
Dark Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Dark chocolate salted caramel cupcakes are decadent, made with moist dark chocolate cake and topped with salted caramel buttercream. Mocha cupcake goodness!
Ingredients
For Chocolate Cupcakes:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ½ cups strong black coffee, hot
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Frosting:
- 5 large egg whites, room temperature
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
- ¼ - ½ cup homemade salted caramel sauce
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.
- Sift together all the dry ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the wet ingredients using a whisk.
- Mix the dry ingredients on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the mixer and add the wet ingredients. Mix for 2 minutes on medium speed and scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Mix for additional minute on medium speed.
- The batter will be thin. Divide evenly among the cupcake liners.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.
- Cool cupcakes on wire racks completely. Meanwhile you could start on the frosting.
For the Salted Caramel Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- Whisk together sugar and egg whites in a heatproof mixing bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Whisk until warm and sugar is dissolved (mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingers), about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- With an electric mixer on medium speed, whip the egg white + sugar mixture for about 5 minutes (using the whisk attachment). Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form and meringue has cooled (test by feeling bottom of bowl), about 6 minutes. Do not proceed if the bowl is still warm. Your butter will melt.
- Reduce speed to medium and switch to the paddle attachment. Add butter, one piece at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the butter incorporates into the meringue and a silky buttercream forms. It usually takes a few minutes, depending on whether your meringue was cool. Keep beating, it will come together. Once silky smooth, beat in vanilla extract and ¼ cup salted caramel into the buttercream. Mix until combined.
- Use frosting immediately to frost cupcakes or store in an airtight container in fridge for up to a week.
These cupcakes are absolutely beautiful! And I love salted caramel… in the frosting and drizzled on top? Yes, please!
Thanks Renee. Salted caramel is a favorite of mine and now that I found a good homemade recipe I am so happy!
i NEED to try this salt and caramel combination some time soon, it looks soooo good! (is this what my comments look like every single time? can’t help it, it all really does look good ^^)
Hahhah! I love your comments D 🙂
Dark chocolate and dalted caramel are meant to be together just like pb+choc
I totally agree!!
Awww that wedding sounds BEAUTIFUL! I looove weddings!
I also looove these cupcakes. I love dark chocolate. I love salted caramel. I.LOVE.THESE.
It was beautiful. Weddings make me so happy lol!
I love weddings so much! It sounds like it was so gorgeous and so much fun 🙂
Your cupcakes look totally divine! I could probably devour that buttercream just with a spoon! 😉
Shhhh, you can’t people what happened!
Wow these cupcakes look amazing. Glad you had fun at the wedding!
Thanks Meghan.
I love love LOVE salted caramel! Your frosting looks to die for. Sounds like the wedding was amazing Zainab. 🙂
Thanks Sally! I had a great time at the wedding. Still catching up on sleep though.
I always wondered how to make these cupcakes… gorgeous recipe.
I hope you can try this one!
These cupcakes are right up my alley! That caramel sauce is so delicious too!
They look great! I love salted caramel!
Wow! These cupcakes look amazing! Love chocolate and salted caramel. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Katie @ thecasualcraftlete.com
Thanks Katie!
These cupcakes look like heaven! I’d like one right now please.
Jello shots. Hehe. Sounds like you had a lovely time at the wedding. 🙂
Tina at http://www.tinaschic.com
I may have had too much fun! Silly me grabbed a spoon to eat the jello shots so the groomsmen decided to teach me the proper way.
Wow those cupcake looks delicious, the way the caramel is drizzled on it so tempting.
Thanks Kira!!
Aww your friend’s wedding sounds amazing!! As do these cupcakes. I kind of just licked the screen.
Hahhah! No screen licking Joanne.
These look incredible! Love the combination of salty and sweet!
Thanks Kelly!
CUPCAKES!! I need one of these right now, and it’s only 8 AM [it’s been that kind of day]
Awww hope the day gets better 😉
These cupcakes look perfectly perfect!! I love salted caramel and I’m so excited that you did a swiss meringue buttercream for these!! Those two are definitely a winning combination!!
Swiss meringue is my favorite frosting and if I have my way I will have it on all my cakes and cupcakes!! It’s the easiest for me to make too ;p
GORGEOUS!!! Can there ever be enough salted caramel or chocolate? I think not 🙂
No there cannot be enough!!
one of my favorites. they look great!
Thanks Dina!
Wow! As a caramel fanatic, I give my hearty approval to these marvelous cupcakes! Love the drizzle of caramel over caramel buttercream…totally irresistible!
Yay! I’m glad you approve Liz!
Suzanne of Simply Suzannes at Home
I LOVE dark chocolate! These cupcakes look amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Have a great week,
Suzanne
Thanks for visiting Suzanne 😉
Oh yea, these are super fantastic. Zainab! And they are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing at MM. Pinning and sharing on FB and Twitter!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks
Thanks too for sharing!
Zainab, these look BEYOND amazing! What a perfect way to come back from that dreamy fairytale wedding. I have made caramel sauce exactly once with success and have been too scared to try again in case I mess it up 🙂 But I just might have to take the plunge to top these gorgeous looking cupcakes!
Amy thanks a lot friend :). I hope u take the plunge my dear
This looks fantastic! I would love you to come and link up at our party here:
http://placeofmytaste.blogspot.com/2013/08/work-it-wednesday-link-party-guest-host.html
Thanks Aniko. I’ll hop over now to visit your party!
I don’t really need the cupcake, just pass the salted caramel please!
Thanks for linking to the In and Out of the Kitchen party! I am always glad you share with me! I will be pinning this!
Hahhah I agree the salted caramel stands on it’s own!
Beautiful post! I just bought some of this French salted caramel in Berlin (which cam in this super snazzy ketchup squeeze bottle thingy…) This looks like the perfect thing to squirt it on!
Ooooo that would be perfect to use in these cupcakes. So jealous of your trip by the way! Been enjoying the updates 🙂
Great pictures! I love your piping technique, and salted caramel with anything is just pure delicious!
Thanks! I used the wilton tip 1M here.
I really need you to come and visit m with one of these right now. Pinned.
I know! Next time, I’m in London I’ll definitely let you know.
Has anyone actually made this recipe ?
You had me at ‘Caramel’.
These cupcakes look beautiful…I’ll take all three please! 😉
Thank you for stopping by and commenting on my peaches!
Toodles,
Tammy<3
Thanks Tammy for visiting too!
Looks so good!
Thanks 😉
You accidentally put tablespoon next to cup here: 1/3 cup tablespoon Cocoa powder (I used Ghirardelli). Thought you might want to know. 🙂
These look delicious! Yummy! Visiting from Sweet and Savory Saturdays
Thanks Eva. I’ve corrected that mistake!
Visiting from SITS! Those look divine!
Thanks for stopping by!
Your cupcakes look too die for!
Thanks Christin!
DAng girl, these are some fancy cupcakes! Love the dark chocolate / salted caramel combo!
Thanks Ashley!
Oh these look delicious. Chocolate and Caramel are amazing together. Now I need an excuse to make cupcakes.
No excuse needed! You can make them just to share 🙂
oh that buttercream looks amazing!
Thanks Peabody! You make my heart skip a beat when I see your name here 🙂
Congratulations! You’ve been featured on this week’s Martha Mondays! 🙂 Swing by to pick up a “Featured” button and do a little bragging! 🙂
http://www.watchoutmartha.net/2013/08/martha-mondays-link-up-party-features_18.html
Amanda
http://www.watchoutmartha.net
Thanks Amanda for the feature!
Oh my goodness these look absolutely divine and delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful food at our “Best Of The Weekend” party! I will be pinning all to our party board and to another big board as well.
We hope to see you back on Friday when the next party kicks off at 8PM EST and hope you have a wonderful week!
xo
Claire thanks for sharing! I’ll be there of course!
Holy delicious! Mouth watering! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #26.
~Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later!
http://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com
Thanks!
May I say, “YUM!” I think I may, and thus I did. Yum yum yum!!! Excited to try these!
Oh yeah, yum yum yum! I hope you try them 🙂
Zainab, You’ve got me drooling everywhere with your fabulous photos! Chocolate and Caramel , yummy, I’ll take a dozen please! I just have to feature you this week at Thursday’s Treasures, and, I’m also featuring you on my FB page! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Joan!! I can’t wait for the party tonight.
I had a lot of school work to do Sunday afternoon, so I made these cupcakes. 🙂 It was a great way to postpone writing lesson plans! I had never made caramel, salted or otherwise, so this was a true learning experience. In the future, I will turn off the heat before it gets to the prescribed temp, because even though the heat is off, the pot stayed hot, and the caramel continued to cook.
I increased the amount of caramel in the frosting to give it a little more flavor.
I took a few cupcakes to school, and had a few co-workers try them out, and they were a big hit, even with the slightly overcooked caramel. One friend said the only reason she was still standing at the end of the day, was the cupcake I gave her at lunch.
Not a bad way to start the week before Labor Day.
I am so happy to hear you loved the cupcakes and everyone enjoyed them!! Thanks for letting me know and making my day. PS: my caramel was burned too I think but it still tasted great 😉
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Help
Just did a batch of these, spread out all over cupcake pan and not baking thru. I keep adding minutes. Followed recipe exactly. Of, course making them for a block party.
Beautiful picture, but bad recipe, at least the batter.
I am sorry to hear this and without being in your kitchen I cannot say what may have gone wrong. However, I’ve used this chocolate cake recipe multiple times and I’ve never had a problem with the batter. It’s runny after mixing but bakes up nicely. Maybe you overfilled the cupcake tins and this caused the batter to overflow?? Again I’m sorry about this.
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even better than starbuck’s. 🙂 this was amazing – we’ve blogged about it here: http://dancingwithmyfather.net/?p=93 with a link back to you!
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Hi! These look and sound fab and I’ve selected them as my birthday treat (my husband will be doing the baking!) He wants to do them as a layer cake, though. What modifications to the recipe would he need to make in that case? Since it only makes 12-15 cupcakes, would he need to double the cake recipe and buttercream to have enough for two layers? And do you know the bake time on a 9-inch round instead of the cupcakes? Thanks so much!
Hi Natalie! I’m so glad you decided on this recipe for your husband’s birthday. He will love it! I’ve made this as a layer cake several times and it is always great. For a 9-inch round cake, I always double the recipe above and bake in two 9-inch round pans. Bake cakes fro 30-35 minutes but I start checking them at 20 minutes and rotate pans. It really will depend on your oven but most times in mine I am done at 30. The frosting is enough for one cake honestly and I always have a little left over. If however you like filling your cake with lots of frosting, then maybe make a batch and a half to be safe. Please let me know how he likes the cake!! Thanks again for picking this recipe for his special day 🙂
It’s me again–I finally had the cake! Better late than never! My husband was supposed to be making it for me for my birthday (Nov 20) but I got a stupid cold virus for my birthday instead and had to put my cake plans on hold (because when I can’t breathe, I can’t smell, and when I can’t smell, I can’t taste. Not sure if you experience that too or what!…) I’ve been dreaming about the cake and finally decided that yesterday was the day. The recipe was too advanced for my husband so I ended up making it myself while he attended to sous chef duties.
The cake baked up nicely as a layer cake; I doubled the recipe and baked it as you suggested and it was done around the thirty minute mark, just like you said. I left the frosting recipe alone, frosted the cake generously, and still had ample left over such that I used some to decorate the top in little floret shapes. Then I drizzled some salted caramel on the top and used my microplane to make chocolate “snow” on there, too. It looked nice (I’d love to post a picture but I don’t see a way to do it.) It tasted good, too. As a matter of fact, I think I might use the chocolate cake recipe as my go-to chocolate cake from scratch. For me, it had a rich, chocolatey cake flavor and was a moist cake (my husband and I both find chocolate boxed cakes tend to be on the dry side and we hate that). I was disappointed not to find the coffee flavor very pronounced (I couldn’t really taste the coffee in there at all, but my dad, who isn’t a coffee drinker, said he could taste it and that it was the one detractor in his mind. So to each his own, I guess. Lol.) and would like to bump up the coffee flavor in future runs of this cake. Do you think adding some coffee extract would do it?
Thanks for your help modifying the recipe for the layer cake platform–I really appreciate it.
Take cake and happy baking!
Natalie, I am so happy to hear that you loved the cake!! This chocolate cake is truly the best and my go-to recipe for chocolate. I am not a coffee drinker and I do think (like your husband 🙂 ) that teh coffee in the recipe is present but not too much. But I do think for a coffee lover like you, you could increase the amount of instant espresso in the recipe or use a 1/2 teaspoon of coffee extract to bump up the flavor!! Sounds like it would be very mocha-y!! I’d love to see your birthday cake picture…if you don’t mind. You can share it on my Facebook wall!! I’m a huge fan of layer cakes and always looking for decoration ideas…yours sounds beautiful. Thank you again so very much for the update and I am so glad to hear you loved the cake.
Happy belated birthday and happy holidays 🙂
PS: I am sharing a peppermint mocha cupcake recipe this Friday I have a feeling you will love. Lot more coffee in this. Come back please and check it out!
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I followed the icing recipe to a “T” and the icing was separated and difficult to work with, no where near the appearance of the picture above. I have made an Italian frozen dessert that uses the same Meringue technique, no problems there. Suggestions? Tastes delicious though.
Hi Chelsey. I’m so sorry to hear the frosting was difficult. The recipe is a classic Swiss meringue buttercream and when you add butter to the meringue base it separates. But just keep beating and it should come together. Sometimes if you don’t let the meringue cool before you add the butter, it melts the butter and it’s hard to cine together. In that case, refrigerate the bowl for 15-20 minutes. I hope this helps. I’m sorry again that the frosting is being challenging. But I’m glad it tastes great!
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Wow! These look amazing and I bet they taste even better!
Oh Zainab what a brilliant recipe. I nearly licked my screen. I like the addition of coffee in the chocolate cupcakes! I read from the earlier comments that you are not a coffee drinker, I love my coffee so will take your advice and amp up the coffee. Just wanted to say that I am so happy to have found your blog, going to be spending loads of time here! 🙂
I cant seem to find the recipe, is there a link i am missing?
It’s back up! Sorry there was a glitch for a few hours.
I am looking for the recipe, where can i find it?
Hi there! Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe! As I am not planning to bake too many cupcakes, I was wondering if I could halve the recipe? Thank you!
Hello Aisha, you can cut the recipe in half but I am just worried about the egg since it calls for just one. If you don’t mind, whisk one egg in a small bowl and measure out half of that amount into your cupcake batter. Hope that helps!
Brilliant, that definitely helps! I’m giving that a try tomorrow. Thank you so much! 🙂
Hi! I made the cupcakes and they tasted great! However, they did sink in the middle and I don’t know where I went wrong. They tasted so good that I decided to give them another try as a layer cake and the layers sunk so badly that it looks like a pie crust. Any suggestions on what may have gone wrong?
Hi Guili! I am so sorry to hear they sunk in the middle. It sounds like either a baking powder/soda issue or your oven temperatures are not consistent. I know using really old baking powder before has left me with collapsed cakes (I haven’t had cupcakes done that yet). However before I understood my oven, my cupcakes used to not rise well because the temperature was fluctuations and uneven. Once I got an oven thermometer I was able to figure this out. I can’t be sure that either of this May have happened for you but in my experience those have been some of my failed cake/cupcake reasons. I’m glad they tasted good though…for the cakes did you bake in 8 or 9 inch? And did you give them more time?
I made these last month & they were a hit @ work! Next w/e I will be doing 4 graduation cakes, 2 chocolate & 2 white (same person) Going to do a trial run today to see if they will turn out in a 1/2 sheet size pan. Do you think I need to make any adjustments? Haven’t searched your site completely but hopefully you have a white cake that equally as fantastic as this one! I have always ended up using boxed mixes as I never have luck with from scratch recipes until I found yours!
Kim I’m so glad to hear you loved these cupcakes. I’ve made them in round cake forms (8 and 9-inch) and they turned out great. Didn’t change the recipe at all. So I don’t think you will have to for a sheet cake. Just make sure you don’t fill the pan too much and leave room for the cake to rude. Also, adjust the baking times. I think it might take almost 25-30mins for a full sheet cake. But start checking the center around 20mins. I hope it turns out great. Please let me know how it does!!
OMG! This is SO delish! Just enough caramel in the SMB. I used another recipe for the cupcakes, but this SMB is to die for.
Ariane, I am so glad to hear that!! I love SMB and caramel makes it even more delish 🙂
Hi Zainab! Just come across your web and it is ah-mazing!!! I will definitely make these cupcakes tomorrow. Looked in the pantry and got all the ingredients. Yay! Happy dance 😛
Hey, may seem like a silly question but for the frosting, granulated or confectioners (powder) sugar?
Granulated sugar! I’ll specify above!
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Oh eM Ghee… I made these for my daughters’ 13th birthday they are amazing… I will be using this chocolate cupcake recipe from this day forward.
I’m so glad to hear you love these cupcakes! They are the only chocolate cupcake recipe I use and it’s perfect as a cake too 🙂
I live at high altitude and the buttercream frosting wouldn’t stay together! The frosting and the caramel sauce kept separating from each other. I had a friend who lives at sea level and she had no problems. Just a warning!
Shelby, I am so sorry to hear that.
HI I found your recipe on Pinterest. I am doing a Round Up blog post later in March for National Chocolate Caramel Day (the 19th) and am interested in including this recipe in that round up. I would like to use a picture from the post, with links back to your site/this post. I would promote it on my all my social media platforms and would share the link with you so that you could do the same if you wish. If you are not interested, I understand, I will not use your post/images without your permission.
Thank you for your time.
No problem!
Tried The Dark Choc. Salted Carmel cupcake recipe. The frosting was very runny. Placed it in the frig for 6 hours hoping it would thicken. While the taste was wonderful, it still ran off the cupcakes and on to the plate. Needless to say I am so disappointed. Please tell me what I did wrong.
Hi Helen, the frosting is a swiss meringue buttercream which incorporates butter into whipped stable egg whites. it does take time for this to happen and you need to keep beating it with your mixer until the butter is incorporated. If your egg whites were still warm, which is what I suspect here, the butter will melt and never incorporate. Usually chilling the entire bowl and mixture for 15-20 minutes will help the butter incorporate when you start mixing again. I am sorry it was runny, it shouldn’t have been. My guess is you didn’t beat the mixture long enough for the silky frosting to form and/or the egg whites were still warm to the touch when you added in the butter.
Delicious cupcakes but the recipe for the frosting is definitely not the same as shown in the photo. Much looser and would not pipe. Since it was so loose I tried to keep beating it hoping adding more air would help firm it but the buttercream split and became unusable :/ pretty disappointing
Hi Audrey, the frosting shown in pictures is definitely the recipe in the card. I am sorry your swiss meringue buttercream didn’t work out for you. However, it is one of those that you need to be patient with. The butter does separate when beaten into the whipped egg whites but you should keep beating it. It does come together.
This looks like an AMAZING recipe! I love both dark chocolate & caramel, however HATE coffee & don’t want to taste it AT ALL. What would you suggest for substituting this? Thank you so much. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi Val, just use hot water 🙂
these looks amazing! 😍 i was thinking to make the base vanilla instead; do you think i can substitute the cocoa powder with extra flour (or skip totally) and the coffee with buttermilk/water?
You could use one of my vanilla cupcake recipes to ensure you are using a tested recipe.