Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

A dark chocolate cupcake with a tall swirl of pale caramel frosting and a few flakes of sea salt on top is hard to beat on a dessert table. The sweet, buttery caramel and the salt play off the deep cocoa flavor. That makes these a good fit for fall gatherings, holiday cookie-and-cupcake spreads, birthday parties and potlucks, anywhere you want something that looks bakery-made but comes from a simple mixing-bowl method.

This version uses a classic creamed-butter chocolate cupcake and a quick buttercream flavored with store-bought or homemade salted caramel sauce. The recipe makes 24 regular-size cupcakes.

What you need

Cupcakes

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk

Salted caramel frosting

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To finish: about 2 tablespoons slightly warmed salted caramel sauce and 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt.

How to bake and frost them

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 1 minute, until fluffy. Scrape the bowl as you go.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time until smooth, then stir in the vanilla.
5. On low speed, add the flour mixture a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix just until smooth, scraping the bowl now and then.
6. Fill each liner about two-thirds full. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool the cupcakes in the pan for 10 minutes, then move them to a rack. Let them cool completely, about 30 minutes, before frosting.
8. Beat the frosting ingredients on medium speed until smooth and spreadable.
9. Pipe a swirl on each cupcake with a large star tip. A resealable freezer bag with one corner snipped off also works. Drizzle with warm caramel and add a pinch of sea salt.

Tips for the caramel and the frosting

Thick caramel gives the best frosting. A thin sauce can loosen the buttercream, so if yours runs, use a thicker one or a little less. If you cook your own caramel, let it cool all the way before beating it into the butter. Warm caramel will melt the frosting and leave it soupy.

Adjust the texture with the milk and powdered sugar. A spoonful more milk loosens a stiff frosting, and a bit more powdered sugar firms up a soft one. Taste as you go, since some caramel sauces are saltier than others.

Save the sea salt for the end. Sprinkled on right before serving, the flakes stay crisp and add a little crunch. If you add them early, they can dissolve into the frosting.

Make-ahead and storage

You can break the project into stages. Bake the cupcakes first and let them cool completely. Then wrap or cover them well until you are ready to frost. Make or buy the caramel sauce ahead too, and let it come to room temperature before you use it.

Frost close to serving time for the neatest swirls and the crispest salt. For a party, keep the cupcakes covered and cool, away from direct heat and sunlight, since buttercream softens in a warm room. Add the caramel drizzle and sea salt at the last minute so the topping looks fresh on the table.