I must admit it: I am officially in love with salted caramel! I have discovered only recently and now it is on the top of my “sweet treats” list! As always when I like something, I have to find a recipe to make it at home so that I can have it whenever I feel like! I did a lot of digging and this recipe is the result. It is actually a combination of 2 different recipes. I had made some salted caramel and buttercream with the following recipe for another sweet treat and I had some left. That’s when I came across the cupcakes recipe and decided to use the leftovers instead of making the cupcakes from scratch. The result was soooo good that I decided not to change anything in it and I have been making these cupcakes this way ever since. Also, I have made them with my home-made salted butter. I have made them in regular and small sizes and I like them both. They look quite impressive, yet are relatively easy to put together, especially if you make the salted caramel in advance and refrigerate it till you need it. They are perfect for parties and little get togethers, or to celebrate the winner of my first giveaway… read on to find out who the lucky reader is! Enjoy!
Sharing this post with Hearth and Soul Hop by Kankana.
Ingredients: (makes 15 cupcakes)
For the cupcakes (recipe adapted from Sprinkle Bakes)
1 1/2 cups (188 gms) flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
115 gms unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed (125 gms) + 2 tbsp brown or raw sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp milk
For the salted caramel & butter-cream (recipes adapted from The Boy who Bakes)
180 gms sugar
300 gms whipping cream
27 gms salted butter
125 gms softened butter
NOTE: this recipe may give you more buttercream than you require for the cupcakes. You can store the remaining butter-cream in an air tight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 10 days or in the freezer for up to a few months. Just let it thaw or bring it back to room temperature and re whip it on a low setting before using it.
For the Candied Salted Caramel Rounds (recipe adapted from Sprinkle Bakes)
½ cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 pinch sea salt
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp water
1 tbsp large-crystal sugar (optional)
For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 165°C and line the muffin trays with paper cups.
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Then cream the butter, vanilla and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well incorporated into the above butter and sugar mixture. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating it with two additions of buttermilk and milk. Beat until well combined.
Put the batter into the lined muffin tray cups, filling each to about half.
Bake for about 25 minutes (15 if you make the small cupcakes). When cooked, let them cool down in the tray for 10 minutes, then put them on a wire rack to cool down completely.
For the salted caramel:
Put 1/3 of the sugar in a pan and let it melt on a medium fire.
When melted, add another 1/3 of sugar and let this melt too. Do the same for the remaining 1/3.
When all the sugar has melted, let it caramelise until it becomes a very dark amber colour.
Remove from the fire and add the 27 gms of salted butter. Stir well.
Add the cream and stir (do not worry if the caramel hardens at this point, it will still melt during the next stage).
Put the pan back on the fire and cook until the caramel reaches 108°C on a candy thermometer (I have done this even without a thermometer… keep in mind that it will boil at 100°C, so keep boiling it for a few minutes… it will have to become as shown in the pictures).
Now put the fire off and cover the caramel with plastic wrap (the wrap has to touch the caramel) to prevent a skin from forming.
Let it cool down COMPLETELY before the next stage. I actually make the caramel the day before making the buttercream, just to be safe. If the caramel is too warm, it will melt the butter and the butter-cream will not come out as expected.
When the cupcakes are cool, cut a small round piece out of the tops of each cupcake and pour 1 teaspoon of caramel inside it. Replace the cake piece and set cupcakes aside.
For the salted caramel buttercream:
Beat the 125 gms of butter for a few minutes and then incorporate the remaining salted caramel to it. Mix well.
For the Candied Salted Caramel Rounds
Lay out a large piece of baking paper on your bench top.
Put the sugar, salt and cold water in a heavy pan.
Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Now increase the heat and bring the syrup to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and swirl the pan as the syrup caramelises so it will become even in colour (do not stir). When the caramel is a deep amber colour, dip a spoon in the caramel and let the caramel fall onto the baking paper in a drizzle. Move the spoon in a circular motion to obtain the caramel rounds. Repeat 15 times.
Sprinkle on the large-crystal sugar as you go along… if the caramel hardens, they will not stick anymore. If the caramel in the pan thickens too much, put it back on the fire (on a low flame) for a couple of minutes and start again. Let the rounds cool down before detaching them.
To assemble the cupcakes:
Put the salted caramel butter-cream in a piping bag and decorate the salted caramel filled cupcakes with it. Put a candied salted caramel round on top of each decorated cupcake and enjoy!
Here are the small ones that I have made for a school party. In this case, fill them with a piping bag instead of making a whole.
In a few days my eldest daughter will be turning 4 and I have been a bit busy planning her birthday party. That is why I may have been a bit slow in responding and/or visiting your blogs! I am also trying to write down the recipes for what I’ll be serving at the party. In the next few days and the days after the party, I will be sharing these recipes with you. These cupcakes are definitely going to be on the menu! 🙂
AND now to the WINNER of MsM’s first ever giveaway… I used random.org to draw a random entry. And the winner is…………………………
Entry # 13, GIULIA from Alterkitchen!! Congratulations Giulia! You are the winner of this digital scale:
I will email you shortly to organise the shipping. I am so happy you won! I would like to thank everyone for participating! It has been a lot of fun organising this giveaway, which I hope it’s going to be the first of many more! <3
These are the most beautiful cupcakes ever! I love the sneaky caramel surprise inside and the caramel topper is very clever.
What a beautiful cupcakes! I love everything about them- filling, decoration and really everything! Nice job Manu!
And that makes two recipes I never tried: salted caramel and cupcakes. Somehow cupcakes intimidate me…. I will have to try at some point. Of course they could never look as good as your look! Those cupcakes look like they are out of a pastry book!
Oh ans congrats to Giulia!
These are fantastic. I like salty,sweet items so these cupcakes get my vote. Nice step by step photos and elegant presentation. Thanks for sharing.
Impressive, impressive, impressive. You outdid yourself. I am sure you are organizing a lovely party for your little girl. Happy birthday to her!
Yeeeeeeessssss!!! I won!!! I won!!! I’m so happy, and this digital scale would be so useful (my scale is a disaster)!!
On another topic… I love salted caramel, too (from the moment I ate a salted-caramel ice-cream… FABULOUS) and these cupcakes look (and taste, I’m sure) amazing… I must give them a try! And the topping?! And the rounds?! Ahhhhh, I’m hungry, now!!
Uh, I forgot: good luck with the party.. I totally understand that you’re super busy, believe me 😉
Your daughter’s friends are going to be the luckiest in the land with these cupcakes for a start! The caramel presentation is stunning. I hope you realise by posting this that the adults are all going to come and “stick around”, too 😉
These are so pretty!! I’ve never had salted caramel before. Look difficult to make but sounds easy!
Congrats Giulia! These cupcakes are GORGEOUS! Is it hard to make the top decoration? Looks like an art object! Oh I wish I’m your daughter’s friend! =P Good luck with planning the birthday party and we’ll look forward to the recipes of all of your creations!
Manu! This cupcakes are a work of art! As I was scrolling through, I kept saying to myself, I want to see the inside! LOL. YUM! Like you, I am a HUGE salted caramel fan. Happy early birthday to your daughter! I can’t wait to see the recipes!!!
oof…these look like they pack a punch of deliciousness 🙂 i dont think i could resist that buttercream long enough to actually frost them though! Gorgeous and really impressive
Manu, your gorgeous photos tell me that those cupcakes are so tasty and so moist! Btw, good luck on your preparations for Victoria’s 4th birthday…if only I live close to you, I would be glad to help you out!
And, congratulations to Giulia!
Wow those cupcakes are absolutely stunning! They are almost to beautiful to eat….almost.
First let me say Happy B-day to your girl! Second those cupcakes look amazing…I love doing caramel creations, it is so much fun..it is truly mouthwatering and beautiful!
Third, Congrats Giulia..
WOW!!! Amazing Manu! What perfectly delish cupcakes you created. Congrats to Giulia for winning!
Manu these are gorgeous!!! I’m totally in love with salted caramel…I made a salted caramel ice cream a couple weeks ago and I’ve been counting down the days until I can make it again. These cupcakes are next on the list for sure!
What a cupcake…!!! I should try to make it. Thanks for sharing.
These are truly gorgeous, and I love how the middle is filled with salted caramel. You’re in love with the right “sweet treat”, I’d say!
What beautiful cupcakes….amazing!!! I love salted caramel and I absolutely love the way you have used it in this cupcake creation of yours….well done!!
These are gorgeous! I am totally in love with salted caramel too, i have some in the freezer leftover from one of my dessert attempts……
I love the toffee rounds, will have to try it.
These are beautiful, I absolutely love salted caramel!
Those look delicious! I love the little pocket of salted caramel and the candy on top looks awesome!
Oh Manu, how I love salted caramel! Ever since I made salted caramel ice cream, I realized one can never have too much salted caramel! I love that these cupcakes have a filling of salted caramel! Yummy… Thank you for sharing this gorgeous recipe! You have done a fabulous job with these cupcakes and you are going to make a lot of people very happy with these! 🙂 Happy birthday to your daughter too!!! And congrats to Guilia! 🙂
These are lovely! You are indeed an artist. I’m sure they are scrumptious. Can’t wait to make these. I’m sure your daughter’s birthday party will be lovely. Have fun!
It’s such a flavour sensation isn’t it! Baroque say that their best selling macaron flavour is salted caramel 😀 Love the caramel decos too-some of them look like roses!
These cupcakes look gorgeous. You make it look so easy. I’ve only recently been introduced to salt in caramel. I haven’t looked back since. Good luck with the birthday preparations.
Congrats to Alterkitchen! And these cupcakes, holy smokes! I love salted caramel 🙂 And the photos are so cuto! Buzzed!
These are simply stunning! I love love love salted caramel, can’t wait to try these!
Fantabulous. I dont have words.. Love the caramel on top!!! Awesome girl awesome 😀
Manu, these cupcakes are so pretty and I love the flavor…great step-by-step pictures!
Hope you are having a great week 🙂 Oh! Congrats to the winner!
Excuse me while I wipe the drool of my computer. Omgoodness these look divine. I am so impressed.
Love salted caramel in all forms and shapes, and your cupcakes really do take the uhh…cupcakes! I also think your salted caramel rounds look incredible, but I can’t do those in our weather without eating them straight away as they will just melt into droplets. I’m happy just ogling at yours, though.
Manu these cupcake looks so pretty good. You know I don’t chocolates much. But salted caramel is temping me to give a try . What a nice a quick way to decorate your cake 🙂
Thanks for sharing this with Hearth and Hop Soul!
I have one word for you – yummilicious! 😀
Cupcakes eccezionali, solo a guardarli mi sento come Homer Simpson che sbava davanti a una ciambella…
WOW great job!!! Not only do they look delicious, they’re just so cute!! What a great dessert for a school party, I bet they loved them!! 🙂
Hi Manu! You’re really so good at baking and always have very interesting ingredients/fillings/decorations! 😀
This is the most beautiful cupcakes I’ve seen! ^.^
I love those candied salted caramel rounds, very creative! 😀
These sound amazing! I love the Caramel buttercream – just perfect!
Are you really supposed to heat the oven to 165 degrees or is that a typo??
Hi Ashley! Yes, it is 165C (not Fahrenheit)… so that would be around 330F. 🙂
Stunning! Thanks for sharing with the Hearth n Soul!
They look amazing! Combing two recipes is a grand idea, sometimes those recipes that are the result of neccessity yeild the best results. Well done.
Manu!!! Are you serious with these cupcakes?!? THey are just gorgeous. You did such an amazing job. WHen are you going into the cupcake business??? 🙂 Salted caramel is one of my faves I will have to try these.
Hello!
I just wanted to mention that I made these lovely cupcakes for Christmas and they were a huge hit! Now mine didn’t turn out quite right – my icing didn’t come together and for a lack of a better word, I became too lazy to complete those gorgeous candied rounds. Instead I had to make a vanilla butter cream and I drizzled the remaining salted caramel on top. They were wonderful. I still consider it a success as I’ve never made my own caramel before and everyone who ate one loved it. I hope you don’t mind I linked this recipe to my new blog. Your website is just great and there are tons of other recipes I can’t wait to try 🙂
Lauren
Hi manu, My salted caramel buttercream turned out bad. I made the salted caramel the day before, then the day after I beated the butter 125g room temp, with the salted caramel but it wouldn’t mix together, so I tried using the electro beater, but it still wouldn’t mix, it came out as the butter and caramel separate (running caramel), butter looked hardened.
Please let me know what I did wrong?
Many thanks
Hi Anna, sorry to hear about the caramel buttercream not turning out. Was the caramel very cold when you mixed it in with the butter? That’s the only thing I can think of, as you said that the butter hardened and the caramel became liquid… I usually beat the butter with a paddle attachment and then add the cooled caramel to it and keep mixing with the paddle attachment for a minute or two. Don’t over mix it as that too may cause them to separate. Hope it helps.