This recipe is the motherload of all that is salted caramel! Caramel cupcakes topped with salted caramel frosting and salted caramel candies.
If you like salted caramel, I can give you 3 reasons why you’re going to LOVE this cupcake.
(1) The cupcake itself is… wait for it… caramel flavored. A brown sugar- and caramel-flavored cupcake, to be exact. (2) Swirled on top of the caramel cupcake is a thick layer of salted caramel frosting. (3) Adorning that luscious frosting is a petite salted caramel candy. It’s a triple threat cupcake.
Sweet caramel cupcake, thick salted caramel frosting, adorable salted caramel candy. My taste testers said these are the best cupcakes they have EVER eaten. Hands down, they are my new favorite cupcake as well.
Let’s begin with the homemade cupcake. The recipe yields 12 standard size cupcakes—just enough to share with friends, coworkers, or your family. After saving a few cupcakes for myself and friends, I brought them into work and they were gone by 9:15 a.m. Breakfast of champions.
The ingredient list and baking method are both very simple. Forget the boxed mix and make a cupcake from scratch. There is nothing like a homemade cupcake and these are just as easy as a boxed mix, I promise.
The taste of butter is an essential part of caramel flavor, which is why we’re using butter (and not oil) in the cupcake batter. The cupcakes are very soft and moist because I use brown sugar to sweeten them. Brown sugar lends a soft texture to baked goods. Make sure to use dark brown sugar in this cupcake recipe, which has more profound caramel and butterscotch undertones compared with light brown sugar.
The salted caramel frosting. Oh my goodness, this frosting is legendary and has become quite popular on my website! I have a separate Salted Caramel Frosting post dedicated to it, along with a video tutorial. I like to use dark brown sugar in the frosting when I make these cupcakes (but light brown sugar is fine too).
Allow the caramel to cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. Do NOT put caramel in the refrigerator to cool. Once the caramel is no longer hot, beat in the confectioners’ sugar and a little more cream.
Once the cupcakes were cool, I swirled the frosting on top with a knife—rustic style! I gave my piping tips a break. The recipe makes enough frosting to really pile it on high.
The little caramel candies on top complete the whole cupcake “outfit.” I used store-bought soft caramel candies, cut them in half, dipped them in melted chocolate, and sprinkled them with coarse sea salt. I ran out of time, so only some of them were dipped in chocolate. If you don’t have time to dip caramels into chocolate, simply use store-bought caramels, Rolo candies, or any caramel decoration of choice. Or leave off the candy topping completely!
The caramel/brown sugar-flavored cupcakes are soft and tender, but sturdy enough to support the thick salted caramel frosting. I admit, I ate one even before I frosted them! A few hours after frosting the cupcakes, I found that the salted caramel frosting “set” and thickened/stiffened up even more, giving the frosting a soft fudge-like texture.
There is SO much flavor in every bite. Are you ready for this?
PrintSalted Caramel Cupcakes
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12-14 cupcakes
- Category: Cupcakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Caramel cupcakes topped with salted caramel frosting and salted caramel candies.
Ingredients
Caramel Cupcakes
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk*
Salted Caramel Frosting
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces
- 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar (pictured cupcakes use dark brown)
- 5 Tablespoons heavy cream, divided*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
- optional: salted caramel candies for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, plus a second pan with only 2 liners. Fill empty cups halfway with water to prevent the pan from warping. Set aside.
- Make the cupcakes: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate medium bowl, beat the butter and sugars together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until no flour remains, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly stir in the milk. Do not over-mix the batter.
- Fill each cupcake liner only 1/2 way full with batter. Bake cupcakes for 22–23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool before frosting, about 1 hour.
- 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 silicone 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. Cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend a cupcake carrier for storing and transporting decorated cupcakes.
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 for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-Count Muffin Pan | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand | Candy Thermometer | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Sieve/Sifter | Cupcake Carrier (for storage)
- Milk: You can also use buttermilk. I do not recommend a lower fat or nondairy milk for this recipe, but either could be used in a pinch.
- Cupcake batter adapted from Cupcakes by Shelly Kaldunski
Hello, I’m excited to try this recipe! I have buttermilk on hand, but not the heavy cream. In your comments, you mention it is fine to substitute with the buttermilk. I’m assuming you use the same amount? How does it affect the flavor?
Thanks so much!
Hi Julie! Heavy cream must be used to make the caramel.
hey sally! im scared that the 1 cup of the brown sugar will make the cupcake taste REALLY sweet so should i reduce it to 1/2 cup?
Hi Iatisha, you can try reducing the sugar, but keep in mind that it plays a role beyond just the sweetness (like texture and structure) and reducing the sugar will change the final outcome of the cupcakes. Let us know what you try!
Dear Sally,
Do you think I could make the frosting with store bought caramel drizzle?
Thanks. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Hi Raegan, the caramel drizzle would make an excellent topping, but we recommend sticking with the recipe as written for best results.
Bonjour de Belgique, vous laissez reposer le glaçage 15 minutes, ensuite vous ajoutez du sucre glace ou cristallisé ? Est-ce qu’on ne sent pas les grains de sucre sous les dents? Merci
Hi Karima, You are going to cook the brown sugar with the heavy cream in your pan until the brown sugar is dissolved so that you should not feel any grains. Once that cools the sifted confectioner’s sugar will should not be grainy at all (it’s the same type of “powdered” sugar you would use for most frostings). I hope this helps!
J’ai eu ma réponse, je vous remercie, vous faites de très belle choses
Hi Sally! Thank you for sharing the recipe. Will the batter for 12 cupcakes be enough for a 2 6inch cake and will the frosting measurement stated above be enough to frost the cake as well?
Hi Rithiha, this will actually be enough batter for 3, 6 inch layers, but you could make 2 layers and use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes. The frosting should be enough for a thin layer, so feel free to 1.5x or 2x it if you’d like more. Enjoy!
I made these for my husband’s birthday and did 2 batches, which made 72 mini cupcakes. I placed a popcorn on top of each with a sprinkle of rock salt. They were a huge hit, thank you. My only issue was the frosting stayed quite runny even after 3 cups of icing sugar, so I just dipped the cupcakes like candy melts and they were great.
Dear Sally,
Do you think I could use cake flour , maybe even half? Just to lighten the cake crumb. Love all your recipes.
Thank you,
Juliette Reed
Hi Juliette, That should be just fine with this recipe. Let us know if you try it!
I see this recipe was posted years ago – but when I Googled Salted Caramel Cupcakes it was one that came up – and I know Sally has great recipes. Oh my gosh it was fantastic! I doubled the recipe for my friend’s birthday and had only rave reviews from all 20 people who had one! It was the best cupcake I’ve ever had, and the icing was so delicious – the texture was almost like fudge – which was actually great for transport as it thickened enough to be very stable! And it was a super crazy hot humid day and any other icing would have been a runny mess. So not only were they the most delicious cupcakes ever but won in practicality too! Thanks so much for your recipes – they’re brilliant!
We’re so glad to hear these cupcakes were a hit, Taryn! Thank you for giving this recipe a try and reporting back.
For the 1st time I sadly got negative feedback on my cake with these 🙁 Was told the cupcake itself was just too overpoweringly sweet. The texture was good though.
Frosting was way too sweet and overshadowed the cupcakes completely. I usually like Sally’s recipes but this one didn’t do it for me!
Hi Sally! Can i replace the butter with margarine, and heavy cream with whipped cream? Thanks
Hi Angel, We don’t recommend using margarine for this recipe. For the frosting whipping cream is fine!
I’ve made and enjoyed many of your recipes and was so excited to try this one but it is wayyyyy too much. The cupcakes in their own are tasty, but extremely sweet and a little heavy. I also didn’t understand what made them caramel — the taste is brown sugar to me. The caramel frosting is so sweet I couldn’t eat the frosted cupcake. I do have a huge sweet tooth but these are overkill. I’m picking the frosting off to try them with something lighter like smbc or maybe even just barely sweetened whipped cream. Hopefully they’ll be edible that way.
Hi J! Thank you so much for trying this cupcake recipe and for leaving your feedback, too! Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
I’m a very novice baker, but I am obsessed with your recipes! I made these caramel cupcakes last night topped with your chocolate cream cheese frosting…UN.BE.LIEVABLE.
My husband and I ate 3. A piece! Thank you for your amazing recipes!!
The cake was incredible. Thank you!
I made some Salted caramel cupcakes a couple of months ago and they paled in comparison to these. Oh my goodness these rock when it comes to taste and texture this will be my go to recipe from now on when somebody asks for salted caramel the frosting is amazing thank you so much for this recipe.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe that i used to bake a festive cake for our Chinese New Year’s gathering today. Moist cake and the salted caramel frosting is a top hit with the children and young ones!
Hi Sally!
I am about to bake these cupcakes. I just wanted to clarify whether to let the caramel cool slightly or completely. In the top description, it states to cool completely. In the recipe instructions, it states to slightly cool. Thanks for your help! These look so yummy!
Hi Cindy, sorry for the confusion! You want it to come about to room temperature – for me this took about 15 minutes. Hope this helps!
This is my go to recipe for cupcakes. I have made and taken these cupcakes to many occasions and I always get rave reviews. Excellent!
Is this frosting suitable to be piped? It looks quite thick and heavy and unsure if a piped swirl would hold its shape or just ooze off the cupcake!?
I pipe it all the time!
I made these twice now, perfect both times. Great recipe
Oh my goodness. These were the BEST cupcakes I have ever made. Everyone (including me) loved them. Thanks!
These were hands down, the most delicious cupcakes I’ve ever made. They were so good and turned out so great.
Hi Sally, I know you’ve posted this recipe ages ago, but I have a quick question about the frosting. Or rather, about the frosting technique. In the post you mention that you frosted these cupcakes with a knife, rustic style, but how though? I’ve tried it a couple of times and I could never get the frosting to look so perfectly swirled.
I’d love some tips, because I really like the look of these cupcakes 🙂
Nila, this is a very thick frosting which makes it easy to have it look a little “rustic.” I simply swirl the frosting. Pile some in the center and then work it around in a circular motion. That’s all I do!
Hi. Can this frosting be used to ice a two layer chocolate cake? Will it be enough?
It won’t be enough – I suggest doubling the recipe.
Can I use half and half instead of heavy cream for the frosting?
No, heavy cream must be used to make the caramel.
I used half and half, whipping cream is tough to find at the store. Made a perfect caramel for the frosting, Delicious recipe and easy to follow, as usual.
Turned out perfectly. It’s obvious you have worked hard to develop such a quality recipe, thanks for sharing it – they are absolutely divine!
Just made these for my Dad for fathers’ day. He loves them and they are delicious! Thank you : )
Wow! Sally, I just made these and OH.MY.GOODNESS. These are FANTASTIC! I think I have a new favorite cupcake!! Salted caramel is my new addiction and I had to bake these. The cupcakes are delicious, I would even consider eating them without the icing. The icing is just as tasty, luckily I have a little extra so I’ll have to think of something to add it to :), these literally taste like they came from a fancy bakery, thanks for the great recipe!!