These Mini Chocolate Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Frosting are a dreamy combination of moist rich chocolate cake with a smooth and silky salted buttercream frosting. These flavors perfectly complement each other to create one delicious bite.
In my opinion, cupcakes are perfect for any celebration. They can be made in a variety of flavors and they come prepackaged making serving much easier. Now I love all cupcakes but mini cupcakes have a special place in my heart. They have the same great flavors of regular cupcake while having the perfect serving sized portion. They also make for a great presentation.
When making these simple Chocolate Cupcakes, I was thinking about a way to try to elevate them a bit. That is when the Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting came to mind. It was the perfect accompaniment to these cupcakes. Now you can make the salted caramel from scratch or to make it easier you can buy salted caramel pre made. Either way, it was the perfect way to jazz up these simple chocolate cupcakes.
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Tips For Making Mini Chocolate Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Buttercream frosting
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Having your ingredients at room temperature will allow them to blend together smoothly without any lump.
- High Quality Ingredients: This will ensure that your cupcakes are loaded with flavor.
- Cooling: It is very important that you cool your cupcakes completely before attempting to frost them. If the cupcakes are warm, the frosting will melt leading to a sad cupcake.
What You Will Need To Make These Cupcakes
Equipment:
- Mini Cupcake Tray: I like to use a sturdy non stick mini cupcake tray
- Mini Cupcake Liners: Using a cupcake liner help prevent sticking and makes for an easy clean up. It also gives your cupcake an instant serving tray.
- Mixing Bowls: Having mixing bowls in a variety of sizes helps in the prep of these cupcakes. I prefer glass mixing bowls because they will not react to acidic ingredients and they are easy to clean.
- Electric Hand Mixer: Using a hand mixer makes the job of blending your ingredients together much easier.
Ingredients:
- All Purpose Flour: A good All Purpose Flour is perfect for this recipe
- Cocoa Powder: I like to use a Unsweetened Double Dark Cocoa Powder For its deep intense chocolate flavor.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are the leavening agents in the recipe giving the cupcakes rise and that fluffy texture.
- Salt: Always add a pinch of salt in sweet recipes. It helps intensify all the flavors.
- Espresso Powder: Adding espresso powder will enhance the chocolate flavor in the recipe.
- Butter: I always opt for unsalted butter so that I can control the salt content in my recipes. It is important to have your butter at room temperature so that it blends with the other ingredients smoothly.
- Sugar: This recipe calls for three forms of sugar, Granulated Sugar, Brown Sugar and Powdered Sugar. Each adding sweetness and a bit of texture to these cupcakes.
- Eggs: The binder in the recipe. It is important to get your eggs to room temperature before using.
- Vanilla Extract: I always opt for Pure Vanilla Extract due to its intense vanilla flavor.
- Buttermilk: This adds a bit of tangy flavor and also aids in making a fluffier cupcake.
- Salted Caramel: For this recipe I used a store bought Salted Caramel. You can make your own but store bought was definitely a time saver.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: This is used to thin out the frosting if necessary.
Other Mini Cupcake Recipes
Mini Chocolate Cupcakes With Salted Caramel Frosting
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy24
servings20
minutes12
minutesA moist and tender mini Cupcake topped with a silky salted caramel buttercream and a salted caramel drizzle. All brought together to create one delicious bite.
Ingredients
- For The Cupcake
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
1/4 Teaspoon baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon espresso powder
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup buttermilk
- For The Frosting
1 1/2 Sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 – 3 Cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Salted Caramel Sauce
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream if needed to make smooth
1/4 Teaspoon salt
Directions
- For The Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line a mini cupcake tray with paper liners and set to the side.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder and salt until combined. Set to the side.
- In a separate large mixing bowl beat the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition. Add vanilla extract and buttermilk and continue mixing until combined. Fold in the dry ingredients.
- Fill each compartment of the mini cupcake tray to 3/4 full. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- For The Salted Caramel Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until incorporated.
- Add the powdered sugar, salted Caramel, salt and vanilla extract and beat starting on low until combined. Increase the speed to medium and continue beating until smooth and creamy. If necessary add the heavy cream to make smooth.
- Place frosting in a large piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a small amount of frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Drizzle the tops with salted caramel and serve.
- Enjoy.
