Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling, Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting, and Salted Caramel Drizzle

When I originally made the Salted Caramel Sauce,  it was for these cupcakes. I was going to make them for Scott's birthday.  Because we were out of town the weekend before his birthday, we are celebrating his birthday and our friend, Joanna's,  this coming weekend. I got a huge jar of Salted Caramel Sauce when I made it, so I had plenty for the Banana Oat Muffins with Salted Caramel Drizzle , the Salted Caramel Apple Cake with Fresh Apples, the Oatmeal Apple Cookies with Salted Caramel Drizzle or Not,  and lastly Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel filling, Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting, and Salted Caramel Drizzle.  September has been the month of Salted Caramel Sauce for sure, and I still have two small jars of sauce, which I'm giving away. I  never imagined that I  would have gotten so much, luscious thick, gooey caramel sauce from one recipe. Thanks, Monet for sharing this recipe. 

These are magnificent cupcakes with lots of dark chocolate with cocoa and melted dark chocolate chips and Salted Caramel Filling.  I didn't want Caramel frosting with the Caramel  filling and drizzle, because  the cupcakes would be too sweet.  I opted for a Vanilla Butter Cream topped with just a touch of Caramel Drizzle.  I had to taste one of the extras, which was so good; rich, chocolatey, and full of luscious caramel. I'm sure that the birthday guests will love them.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Filling and Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting and Caramel Drizzle.

Dark Chocolate Cupcakes Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
 350 degree oven Yield: 12 cupcakes
 Bake Time: 18-20 minutes 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped  (I used 1/3 c dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Cocoa)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2cup (4 ounces) sour cream (I used almond milk)

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line standard-size muffin pan with baking cup liners.

2. Combine butter, chocolate, and cocoa in medium heatproof bowl. Set bowl over saucepan containing barely simmering water; heat mixture until butter and chocolate are melted and whisk until smooth and combined. (Alternately, you can microwave the mixture at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds until completely melted.) Set aside to cool until just warm to the touch.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, and baking powder in small bowl to combine.

4. Whisk eggs in second medium bowl to combine; add sugar, vanilla, and salt until fully incorporated. Add cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. .Add in one third of dry ingredients to egg sugar mixture, alternately with the milk, and ending with the dry ingredients, until well combined. 

5. Divide the batter evenly among muffin pan cups. Bake until pick inserted into center of cupcakes comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Cool cupcakes in muffin pan on wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Carefully lift each cupcake from muffin pan and set on wire rack. Cool to room temperature before filling and frosting. about 30 minutes.

Thick Caramel Sauce From Monet@ Anecdotes and Applecores
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1-2 teaspoons sea salt

1. Attach a candy thermometer to a heavy saucepan. In saucepan, bring butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk to a boil over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. this may take several minutes.

2. Carefully and slowly stir in whipping cream. Be careful, cream will boil rapidly and can burn.

3. Continue to stir mixture until caramel reaches 238 degrees, the soft-ball stage. This will take anywhere from 5-15 minutes. (It took mine about 12 min.)

4. Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.

5. Store in a glass jar after the mixture has cooled slightly. If your caramel is too hot, there is the risk of glass breaking.

Note: As caramel cools, it thickens. If you aren’t using caramel right away, you can store for 1-2 weeks in a glass jar. When you’re ready to enjoy your caramel, spoon out a chunk (yes, it will be that thick), add a dash of cream, and then microwave in 15 second increments until smooth, or over a double boiler, just above the simmering water.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 c butter, room temperature

2c. powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c more or less milk, or half and half I used almond milk

Assemble the Cupcakes:

Use a paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece (about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake and throw away the pieces, eat them, or use a cupcake corer.  I used the cupcake corer. Spoon caramel filling into the cupcake.  Frost with Butter Cream and drizzle with more of the Caramel sauce!!  Enjoy!

 I linked up my recipe to Brandie@The Country Cook's Weekend Potluck #36
Stop by and say Hi to Brandie!