Description
A shortcut chocolate cupcake recipe topped with creamy salted caramel frosting.
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 (15.25 ounce) box Devil’s Food or Chocolate Cake Mix (the dry mix)
- 1 (3.9 ounce) box Jell-O Chocolate Fudge instant pudding mix
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream
Salted Caramel Frosting
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar (pictured cupcakes use light brown)
- 5 Tablespoons heavy cream, divided*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- optional: 20 mini pretzel twists and store-bought caramel topping or homemade salted caramel
Instructions
- Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with liners. Set aside.
- Using a stand or handheld electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, milk and sour cream. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Scoop the batter evenly into cupcake liners.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely in the pan.
- Start the frosting: (This frosting is popular, so we have a separate salted caramel frosting post if you need more help making it.) Combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir constantly as the butter melts. Once butter has melted, switch to a whisk to make sure the two are really combined. (Otherwise, you might see an oily layer around the edges where they’re still a bit separated; you do not want that.) Once melted butter and brown sugar are combined, add 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream and the salt. Whisk to combine, then stop whisking and attach a candy thermometer to your pan, making sure the bulb is not touching the bottom of the pan. Let the caramel boil, giving it a quick whisk every 30 seconds or so, until the temperature reaches 230°F (110°C). On my stove, it takes just under 2 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from heat, give it another quick whisk, and let cool for a minute. Carefully transfer the salted caramel to a heat-proof mixing bowl set on a cooling rack and cool for just 15–20 minutes before continuing. The caramel sauce thickens during this time.
- Finish the frosting: Sift in confectioners’ sugar and add remaining 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on medium-low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Turn mixer up to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Avoid over-mixing or the frosting will begin to “break” and separate. Let it sit for at least 20–30 minutes before filling your piping bag, to give it a chance to thicken up to a pipeable consistency.
- Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with a pretzel twist and salted caramel, if desired.
- Cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Cupcakes can be made ahead 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. For make ahead details on the frosting, see separate Salted Caramel Frosting post for specific instructions and FAQs. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bring to room temperature if desired before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-cup Muffin Pans | Cupcake Liners | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Saucepan | Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Whisk | Candy Thermometer | Fine Mesh Sieve | Piping Bag (Reusable or Disposable) with desired Piping Tips
- Cake Mix: You just need the dry mix in the 15.25 ounce box. Forget all of the ingredients that the back of the box calls for and instead use the ingredients this recipe calls for. (See step 2.)
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking the BEST cupcakes before you begin!