Description
Decadent Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Cupcakes featuring a moist vanilla base filled with luscious cream cheese and caramel, topped with creamy frosting, caramel drizzle, crunchy pretzels, and a sprinkle of sea salt for the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Batter
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk
Filling and Topping
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- 1 cup cream cheese frosting
- Pretzel twists for topping (optional)
- Extra caramel sauce for drizzling
- Sea salt flakes for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking the cupcakes.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners for easy removal and cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening and seasoning.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a mixer, cream the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, incorporating air for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition to create a smooth batter.
- Add Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients alternately with milk, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Fill Muffin Cups: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each paper liner about ¾ full to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Bake cupcakes in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, signaling doneness.
- Cool: Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely to room temperature before filling and frosting.
- Core Cupcakes: Using a small knife or cupcake corer, cut out a small hole in the center of each cooled cupcake to create space for the filling.
- Fill Cupcakes: Fill each cavity halfway with softened cream cheese, then top with a spoonful of caramel sauce to add a luscious gooey center.
- Frost: Generously frost each cupcake with cream cheese frosting using a piping bag or a spatula, creating an inviting top layer.
- Drizzle Caramel: Drizzle extra caramel sauce over the frosting to enhance the sweetness and add visual appeal.
- Garnish: Top cupcakes with pretzel twists if desired for a crunchy texture contrast.
- Finish with Sea Salt: Sprinkle sea salt flakes over each cupcake to balance the sweetness with a delicate salty crunch.
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before coring and filling to prevent the filling from melting.
- Use softened cream cheese and butter for smoother mixing and creamier texture.
- Adjust the amount of caramel sauce to taste; use high-quality caramel for best flavor.
- Pretzel topping is optional but adds a wonderful salty crunch complementing the caramel and cream cheese.
- Sea salt flakes add a refined finish; kosher salt can be substituted but with a less delicate texture.
- Store cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days as they contain cream cheese filling and frosting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
