Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Deliciously moist and fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with a silky cloud of Swiss meringue caramel buttercream, and filled and drizzled with salted caramel!
Servings: 12 - 14 cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups (190g) cake flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) caster/granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) Greek-style yogurt
- Homemade salted caramel sauce to fill cupcakes and drizzle on top
For the Frosting
- 3 large egg whites
- 1 cup (200g) caster/granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter softened and cubed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (80g) homemade salted caramel sauce
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with muffin cases, and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together the eggs. Add the sugar, and whisk until combined. Add the butter, vanilla, and yogurt, and whisk until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, filling only 2/3 full.
- Bake for 14 - 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan, before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Using a cupcake corer or knife, scoop out the centres of the cooled cupcakes. Fill the cupcakes with the salted caramel sauce, leaving some to drizzle on top.
For the Frosting
- In the heat-proof bowl of your stand mixer over a pan of simmering water, add the egg whites and sugar. Whisk constantly until the mixture is warm to the touch and all the sugar has dissolved (should not feel gritty between your fingers) - about 5 minutes.
- Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk for 10 - 15 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool.
- With the mixer on medium-low speed, gradually add the butter, piece by piece, mixing well after each addition. Once all the butter has been added, whisk in the vanilla, and salted caramel sauce. Whisk until silky and smooth.
- Transfer the frosting to a piping bag, and frost the cooled cupcakes. Drizzle with the extra salted caramel.
Notes
*Make your own cake flour! Measure out 1 and 1/2 cups (190g) of plain/all-purpose flour, remove 3 tablespoons, and replace with 3 tablespoons of cornflour/cornstarch. Sift well.
Leftover cupcakes can be stored, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Frosted or unfrosted cupcakes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Cupcakes can be made 1 day in advance, covered, and stored at room temperature. Cover the frosting, and store in the fridge until ready to use.
If using my homemade salted caramel sauce, this recipe makes enough to fill cupcakes, add to frosting, and drizzle on top.
Nutrition information does not include the salted caramel sauce.