Decadent Mocha Salted Caramel Cupcakes
These Mocha Salted Caramel Cupcakes are so spectacular. The sweetness of the mocha and caramel pair perfectly with the coarse salt on top. Trust me, you’ve never had a cupcake so decadent!
According to science, there’s a reason why we love salted caramel so much. Salty and sweet. What’s not to love?
From looking at the end result, you might think this dessert takes hours, but it really doesn’t! The cupcakes are pretty simple, and the frosting is not much different than your typical cupcake frosting.
But the salted caramel frosting recipe for cupcakes that is on top is what makes this dessert look like it’s been made by a pro. And all you have to do is drizzle!
And if you’re a salted caramel fan, you’re going to love these salted caramel cookies, too. So delish!
What You Need to Make It
Always gather your ingredients first. There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through a recipe only to realize you don’t have one item.
I have gone to the store with brown sugar on my list twice recently and somehow came home without it both times! It happens!
To make this chocolate salted caramel cupcakes recipe, you will need all-purpose flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, salt, dark brown sugar, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, whole milk, coffee flavoring, and Ghirardelli Chocolate sauce.
To make the frosting, you will need powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, pure vanilla extract, and milk. For topping the cupcakes, you’ll need Ghirardelli Caramel and Chocolate sauce, as well as coarse sea salt.
How to Make the Chocolate Cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350F.
Line a standard 12 cup cupcake pan with liners.
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
In another bowl, beat the sugars and butter using an electric mixer. You want them to be light and fluffy, which should take approximately 3 minutes if the mixer is on medium-high speed.
Add in eggs, milk, coffee flavoring, and vanilla until combined.
Add in flour mixture and stir to mix well.
Fill prepared cupcake cups.
Add the desired amount of Ghirardelli Chocolate into cupcake mix while in the cupcake pan, and stir with the end of a spoon as well as spread lightly over top of the cupcake. This will give you a fudge-like swirl in the cupcake.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 or so minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
How to Make Salted Caramel Frosting
Add powdered sugar to the mixing bowl.
Add softened sticks of butter and cream cheese
Add vanilla.
Add 1 tbsp of milk.
Beat on low until powdered sugar is incorporated, then move mixer up to medium-high speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often.
When completely mixed the frosting may appear dry.
Add more milk, a little bit at a time until frosting is the proper consistency.
Scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a star tip.
Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip.
Begin frosting on the outside edge of the cupcake working in a circle towards the center.
Drizzle with the chocolate and caramel sauce. Sprinkle with sea salt.
Can You Make Vanilla Cupcakes Instead of Chocolate?
Honestly, chocolate cupcakes with salted caramel frosting are pretty awesome. But, you could make any flavor cupcake and it would be wonderful. For the fall season, a pumpkin cupcake with salted caramel frosting would be incredible.
I know these pumpkin pie cupcakes are really popular! Banana and salted caramel cupcakes would be good, too.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of these salted caramel cupcakes! So yummy! You might also like these Hot Chocolate Brownie Mug Cake Shots for a small serving dessert or these Butterfinger Brownies.
You can find more cupcakes recipes on my Cupcake Crazy Pinterest Board!
What’s your favorite dessert? Have a recipe to share? I’d love to try it and feature it here! Share in the comments!
Decadent Mocha Latté Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcake Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 C cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 TBSP Coffee flavoring
- Ghirardelli Chocolate sauce
Frosting Ingredients
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 2 sticks softened butter
- 2-3 teaspoons vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- Ghirardelli Caramel
- Ghirardelli Chocolate sauce
- Coarse sea salt
Instructions
Cupcake Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line a standard 12 cup cupcake pan with liners.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt.
- In another bowl, beat the sugars and butter using an electric mixer. You want them to be light and fluffy, which should take approximately 3 minutes if the mixer is on medium-high speed.
- Add in eggs, milk, coffee flavoring, and vanilla until combined.
- Add in flour mixture and stir to mix well.
- Fill prepared cupcake cups.
- Add desired amount of Ghirardelli Chocolate into cupcake mix while in the cupcake pan, and stir with end of spoon as well as spread lightly over top of cupcake. This will give you a fudge-like swirl in the cupcake.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 20 or so minutes or until you can insert a toothpick and it comes out clean.
Frosting Directions
- Add powdered sugar to mixing bowl.
- Add softened sticks of butter and cream cheese
- Add vanilla.
- Add 1 tbsp of milk.
- Beat on low until powdered sugar is incorporated, then move mixer up to medium-high speed.
- Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.
- When completely mixed the frosting may appear dry. Add more milk, a little bit at a time until frosting is the proper consistency.
- Scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a star tip. Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the tip.
- Begin frosting on the outside edge of the cupcake working in a circle towards the center.
- Drizzle with the chocolate and caramel sauce. Sprinkle with sea salt.
