Chef Mitchell - Professional Chef
👨‍🍳 Professional Chef

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 10+ Years Experience ⏰ 1000+ Recipes Created 🍽️ Culinary Institute Graduate

❤️ My Recipe Story

"I developed this recipe after countless visits to high-end bakeries, trying to recreate that perfect salted caramel cupcake at home. After testing different caramel techniques and frosting ratios, I finally achieved that bakery-quality result. The secret is making your own caramel sauce and using it both in the frosting and as a drizzle. These cupcakes have become my signature dessert for special occasions and never fail to impress guests."

Chef Mitchell has been perfecting dessert recipes for over a decade, specializing in elevated comfort foods and bakery-style treats. His expertise in pastry techniques and flavor balancing has helped thousands of home bakers achieve professional results in their own kitchens.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Twelve golden vanilla cupcakes topped with swirled caramel buttercream frosting, drizzled with glossy homemade caramel sauce and sprinkled with flaky sea salt, arranged on a marble serving platter

Why These Salted Caramel Cupcakes Are Special

What sets these salted caramel cupcakes apart is the homemade caramel sauce that's incorporated into both the frosting and used as a finishing drizzle. Unlike recipes that rely on store-bought caramel, making your own ensures the perfect consistency and allows you to control the saltiness level. The vanilla cupcake base is intentionally simple, providing the perfect canvas for the rich caramel flavors to shine through.

The technique of making caramel from scratch might seem intimidating, but it's actually quite straightforward once you understand the process. The key is patience and constant stirring to achieve that perfect amber color without burning. The addition of sea salt not only enhances the caramel flavor but also balances the sweetness, creating a sophisticated dessert that appeals to both kids and adults.

💡 Professional Tip

When making caramel, have all your ingredients measured and ready before you start heating the sugar. Once the sugar begins to caramelize, the process moves quickly, and you'll need to add ingredients immediately to prevent burning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! The cupcakes can be baked up to 2 days ahead and stored covered at room temperature. The caramel sauce can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the refrigerator - just warm it slightly before using. Assemble with frosting on the day of serving for best results.

While homemade caramel provides the best flavor and consistency, you can use high-quality store-bought caramel sauce in a pinch. Look for thick caramel sauce rather than thin caramel syrup, and add a pinch of sea salt to enhance the flavor if the store-bought version isn't salted.

Caramel crystallizes when sugar crystals form during cooking. This usually happens from stirring too vigorously early in the process or from sugar crystals on the sides of the pan. To prevent this, avoid stirring until the sugar is completely melted, and brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.

It's best to stick with unsalted butter so you can control the salt level precisely. Salted butter can make the final result too salty, especially since we're adding sea salt separately. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt by half and taste as you go.

The cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The tops should spring back lightly when touched, and the edges should just start to pull away from the paper liners. For the caramel, it's ready when it reaches a deep amber color and smells nutty.

These cupcakes are rich enough to stand alone, but they pair beautifully with vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, or a cup of strong coffee. For parties, consider serving alongside other complementary desserts like chocolate truffles or fruit tarts to create a varied dessert spread.

Absolutely! This recipe makes about 24 mini cupcakes. Reduce the baking time to 12-15 minutes and check for doneness with a toothpick. Mini cupcakes are perfect for parties and portion control, and they look adorable with a small swirl of frosting and a tiny drizzle of caramel.

Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture and flavor. Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

✅

Dense or Heavy Cupcakes

Problem: Cupcakes turned out dense and heavy instead of light and fluffy.

Solution: This usually happens from overmixing the batter or using too much flour. Mix just until ingredients are combined, and measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling off rather than scooping directly from the bag.

✅

Burnt Caramel

Problem: The caramel sauce tastes bitter or burnt.

Solution: Caramel can go from perfect to burnt very quickly. Keep the heat at medium and remove from heat as soon as it reaches a deep amber color. If it burns, start over - there's no saving burnt caramel.

✅

Runny Frosting

Problem: The caramel frosting is too thin and won't hold its shape.

Prevention: Make sure the caramel sauce is completely cool before adding to the frosting. If it's still too thin, add more powdered sugar gradually. If the butter was too warm, chill the frosting for 30 minutes and re-whip.

✅

Sunken Centers

Problem: Cupcakes have sunken or collapsed centers.

Recovery: This is usually caused by opening the oven door too early or having the oven temperature too high. Don't open the oven for the first 15 minutes of baking, and use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate temperature.

✅

Grainy Frosting

Problem: The buttercream frosting feels grainy or gritty.

Prevention: This happens when the powdered sugar isn't fully incorporated or the butter wasn't at the right temperature. Beat the frosting longer on high speed to smooth it out, and ensure butter is softened but not melted before starting.

✅

Flavor Balance

Too Sweet: If too sweet, add an extra pinch of sea salt to both the caramel and frosting, or drizzle with slightly less caramel sauce.

Too Salty: If too salty, balance with a bit more powdered sugar in the frosting or serve with vanilla ice cream to mellow the saltiness.

Bland: If flavors are bland, ensure you're using pure vanilla extract (not imitation) and don't skimp on the sea salt - it's essential for bringing out the caramel flavor.

Neatly arranged baking ingredients including flour, sugar, eggs, butter, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sea salt on a white marble countertop with measuring cups and spoons

Choosing the Right Ingredients

The quality of your ingredients directly impacts the final result of these cupcakes. Use pure vanilla extract rather than imitation for the best flavor, and choose high-quality butter with at least 80% fat content for both the cupcakes and frosting. For the caramel, granulated white sugar works best as it caramelizes evenly without affecting the color. Heavy cream with at least 35% fat content ensures a smooth, rich caramel sauce that won't break.

When it comes to salt, the type matters significantly in this recipe. Use fine sea salt or kosher salt for the cupcake batter and caramel sauce, as it dissolves easily and distributes evenly. For the finishing touch, flaky sea salt like Maldon provides the perfect texture contrast and visual appeal. Fresh eggs at room temperature will create better volume in your cupcakes, so take them out of the refrigerator about an hour before baking.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Heavy Cream: Use heavy cream with at least 35% fat content for the richest caramel sauce that won't break when heated.
  • Sea Salt: Use fine sea salt for mixing and flaky sea salt like Maldon for garnishing to get both flavor and texture contrast.
  • Butter: European-style butter with higher fat content creates the most flavorful and stable buttercream frosting.
Step-by-step process shots showing caramel being made in a saucepan, progressing from clear melted sugar to deep amber caramel, with butter and cream being whisked in

Mastering the Caramel Technique

Making caramel from scratch is the heart of this recipe and the key to achieving bakery-quality results. The process involves heating sugar until it melts and caramelizes, creating complex flavors and that signature amber color. Start with a heavy-bottomed saucepan to ensure even heat distribution, and use medium heat to prevent burning. Patience is crucial - rushing the process by using high heat will result in burnt, bitter caramel.

The most critical moment comes when adding the butter and cream to the hot caramel. The mixture will bubble vigorously and may seem to seize, but continue whisking steadily and it will smooth out. Have all ingredients measured and ready before you start, as timing is everything once the sugar begins to caramelize. If you're nervous about making caramel, practice the technique once before making the full recipe - it's a skill that improves with experience.

The Perfect Caramel Color

Watch for the sugar to turn a deep amber color, similar to an old penny. It should smell nutty and sweet, not burnt. If you have a candy thermometer, you're aiming for about 340°F (170°C), but visual and aromatic cues are more reliable than temperature alone.

Salted Caramel Cupcakes with Homemade Caramel Frosting

Prep 30 min
Cook 18 min
Serves 12 servings
Level Easy

📋 Ingredients

Cupcake Base

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
    For the caramel sauce - don't substitute with brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
    Room temperature, cut into pieces for easy melting
  • ½ cup heavy cream
    At least 35% fat content for smooth caramel
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Pure vanilla extract for best flavor
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    Fine sea salt that dissolves easily

Caramel & Frosting

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    Spoon and level for accurate measurement
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
    Creates tender, moist cupcakes
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
    Should be soft but not melted
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
    Fresh baking powder for best rise
  • ½ teaspoon salt
    Enhances all the flavors
  • ⅔ cup whole milk
    Room temperature for smooth mixing
  • 1 large egg
    Room temperature for better incorporation
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Pure vanilla for best flavor

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Prepare for Baking

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray with cooking spray.

  2. Step 2: Make Cupcake Batter

    In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until well combined.

  3. Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

    In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

  4. Step 4: Bake Cupcakes

    Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

  5. Step 5: Make Caramel Sauce

    In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1 cup sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly until melted and amber colored. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in butter, then slowly add cream and vanilla. Stir in sea salt and let cool.

  6. Step 6: Prepare Frosting

    Beat softened butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, ¼ cup cooled caramel sauce, and heavy cream. Beat until smooth and pipeable consistency is achieved.

  7. Step 7: Assemble Cupcakes

    Using a piping bag fitted with a star tip, pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Drizzle with remaining caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Storage

Store assembled cupcakes in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving for best texture. Caramel sauce can be made up to 1 week ahead and rewarmed gently before using.

Serving Suggestions

These cupcakes are perfect for birthdays, dinner parties, or any special occasion. Serve alongside coffee, tea, or cold milk. For an extra indulgent treat, warm the cupcakes slightly and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Variations

Try adding a pinch of cinnamon to the caramel for warmth, or substitute brown butter for regular butter in the frosting for a nutty flavor. You can also fill the cupcakes with extra caramel sauce by cutting a small cone from the center before frosting.