Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes!

O.K. so I didn't want to make anything normal for the Fourth of July for dessert. Since cupcakes are all the rage I went searching on the internet for cupcake recipes. Boy are there a lot! I actually made 3 different kinds because I couldn't choose which one. By far this cupcake is my favorite. It is my OMG cupcake! I made these a week ago and am salivating as I am writing this  post and will be making another batch tomorrow! I found the recipe over at Brown Eyed Baker. She has a lot of yummy sounding recipes. 

Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Yield: 22 to 24 cupcakes

Prep Time: 30 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

For the Cupcakes:
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon hot water
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 & 2/3 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¾ cup sour cream

For the Salted Caramel Frosting:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup salted caramel sauce
4 cups powdered sugar

To Garnish:
Salted Caramel Sauce
Fleur de Sel (or other flaky sea salt)

1. Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard-size muffin pans with paper liners.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

3. Combine the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is smooth, and the butter is completely melted. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-low speed until the mixture is cool, about 4 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and then the cocoa mixture, beating until smooth.

5. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix each addition until just incorporated.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Make the Frosting: Beat together the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Pour in the salted caramel and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to medium-low and slowly add the powdered sugar, a little at a time, until it has all been incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an additional two to three minutes, until light and fluffy.

8. To finish, pipe frosting onto the top of each cupcake (or use an offset spatula to spread the frosting), drizzle with some additional salted caramel sauce, and sprinkle with a pinch of fleur de sel.

I added a step between 7 and 8. Instead of using the caramel sauce as a topping I decided to use it as a filling in the cupcake. I burned my first batch of Homemade Caramel Sauce. It says to cook it to 350 degrees but it was burning after it hit 300 degrees. I have never made a caramel sauce like this recipe. I might try it again. So I was in such a hurry that I had my son run to the store and buy caramel sauce for ice cream! I put the caramel sauce into a squeeze bottle and added a teaspoon and a half of the salt and shook it up and then squeezed the sauce into the cupcakes until I saw sauce coming out of the cupcake. It was very helpful to put the caramel sauce into a squeeze bottle. The tip helped get the caramel sauce into the center of the cupcake. After the sauce is in the cupcake it soaks into the cupcake and make's the chocolate cupcake taste even better. Because I added the sauce into the cupcake I did not add caramel sauce or salt to the top of the cupcakes because I thought that there was enough flavoring. Next time I will add some caramel sauce to the top just for decoration. 

I couldn't find the fleur de sel salt so I used regular sea salt that isn't flaky but chunky. I think it tasted great. I also wanted to make these into mini cupcakes. I was able to make 36 mini cupcakes and 12 regular sized cupcakes.