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Deliciously light and moist salted caramel cupcakes, with a salted caramel centre, a smooth salted caramel buttercream with a caramel drizzle!

Salted caramel bakes

You guys loooove both a salted caramel and cupcake recipes – so ta daaaa! Similar flavours to my salted caramel drip cake, my more festive salted caramel pretzel cupcakes, salted caramel millionaires shortbread, and my no bake salted caramel cheesecake, i’m sure you guys will love this one!

There is something about the balance of sweetness and the saltiness that is so glorious about salted caramel, and whilst some people think that the flavour is overrated I am just utterly in love with it. 

Salted caramel sauce

For this recipe, you can use a shop bought salted caramel sauce, a tin of caramel that you add salt to, or you can make your own homemade caramel sauce – which is easier to make than you think it might be. You can check out my homemade caramel sauce for the recipe and method, but 6 simple ingredients and you have a glorious homemade salted caramel sauce that would work perfectly in these cupcakes.  

I use the salted caramel after I have cored out the cupcakes and filled the middle, I use it in the buttercream frosting, and I even drizzle it over the top as I really do go in on this flavour profile. 

Cupcake mixture

I just adore how light and moist these cupcakes are, and, they are so simple to make. The caramel buttercream is inspired by the fact that I have an utter obsession with caramel, especially salted caramel.

  • Butter – I tend to use a baking spread when it comes to the sponge of a cake as I find it makes a nice and light sponge
  • Sugar – I used light brown sugar as it’s a classic and works well for the caramel flavour of the bake
  • Flour – self raising as always.. you can make your own though by mixing 2 level tsps of baking powder per 150g of plain flour before using in the recipe
  • Eggs – I use medium, so used 4. You can use 3 large eggs.

Buttercream

The buttercream has the perfect ratio of caramel to buttercream so that you get the hint of caramel without it being overpowering, but the drizzle on top give it a sweet kick to combat the salt! The perfect combination!

  • Butter – as this is for buttercream, you really do need to use block butter and not a baking spread or margarine, especially because of the added caramel  
  • Sugar – icing sugar as always!! 
  • Caramel – the caramel makes the frosting slightly softer, but because of the block butter and if you beat it really well, it’ll still be lovely and thick. 

Tips & Tricks

After the success of my No-Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake and Salted Caramel Nut Slice I know that these will be loved by all you salted caramel lovers out there, because I’m also obsessed. 

  • I used these cupcake cases
  • I used these sprinkles
  • You can find my homemade caramel sauce recipe here 
  • These cupcakes will last 3-4+ days at room temperature
  • You can freeze the cupcakes for 3+ months 
  • Recipe updated May 2024 – original recipe buttercream was the same. The cupcakes used to be:
    • 175g unsalted butter, sugar and flour, with 3 large eggs and 2tbsp of milk mixed in. 

Salted Caramel Cupcakes

Deliciously light and moist salted caramel cupcakes, with a salted caramel centre, a smooth salted caramel buttercream with a caramel drizzle!
Print Pin Rate
Category: Cupcakes
Type: Cupcakes
Keyword: Salted Caramel
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cooling and Decorating Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Jane's Patisserie

Ingredients

Cupcakes

  • 200 g unsalted butter/baking spread
  • 200 g light brown sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 200 g self raising flour

Filling

  • 12 tbsp salted caramel sauce

Buttercream Frosting

  • 150 g unsalted butter
  • 350 g icing sugar
  • 100 g salted caramel sauce

Decoration

  • salted caramel sauce
  • sprinkles

Instructions

Cupcakes

  • Preheat your oven to 180ºc/160ºc fan and line a 12 hole muffin tray with large cupcake cases/muffin cases.
  • Cream together the unsalted butter and light brown sugar until smooth
  • Add in the eggs and self raising flour and beat again until combined
  • Split the mixture between the 12 cases
  • Bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes, or until cooked through, and then leave to cool fully

Filling

  • Once fully cooled, core out the middle of the cupcakes with a knife or an upside down piping tip
  • Fill with each hole with caramel.

Buttercream

  • Beat the unsalted butter on it's own until smooth
  • Add the icing sugar and mix until it is combined
  • Add the caramel sauce to the buttercream and continue mixing. 

Decoration

  • Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes – drizzle with some extra caramel and some sprinkles for a bit of crunch.

Notes

  • I used these cupcake cases
  • I used these sprinkles
  • You can find my homemade caramel sauce recipe here 
  • These cupcakes will last 3-4+ days at room temperature
  • You can freeze the cupcakes for 3+ months 
  • Recipe updated May 2024 - original recipe buttercream was the same. The cupcakes used to be:
    • 175g unsalted butter, sugar and flour, with 3 large eggs and 2tbsp of milk mixed in. 

ENJOY!

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J x

© Jane’s Patisserie. All images & content are copyright protected. Do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words and credit me, or link back to this post for the recipe.c

95 Comments

  1. Sarah Fewings on September 17, 2017 at 8:13 pm

    These look great! Is there anyway they could be adapted so the sponge was like a sticky toffee pudding flavour? Thinking ahead for Macmillan Coffee morning

  2. Susannah on September 17, 2017 at 3:24 pm

    These have become a real staple for family events, such a great recipe – keep up the good work Jane!

  3. Lesley on July 27, 2017 at 5:22 pm

    Made these for a baby shower and they went down a treat. These are devise and easy receive to follow. I found I had quite a bit of buttercream left over and didn’t need to use all the milk. They are so good I’ve made them again!

  4. michelle on July 25, 2017 at 1:16 am

    Hi Jane, I was just wondering how long it takes to make 12 of these cupcakes ?

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 25, 2017 at 9:51 am

      Depends on your skill set… an hour not including cooling time maybe?



    • michelle on July 26, 2017 at 1:27 am

      Oh okay thank you Jane (:



  5. TCL on July 4, 2017 at 5:21 am

    Hi Jane, came across your pin as im looking for cupcakes recipe & attracted to this caramel. Btw the caramel is bgt off the rack or home-made? I like that you are working on grams so im yr follower now ?
    Thank you.

    • Jane's Patisserie on July 4, 2017 at 12:38 pm

      I used carnations caramel from the supermarket ?



  6. Sinead Hislam on May 1, 2017 at 3:07 pm

    Hi Jane, thankyou for this recipe, I have made these many times now and they always go down a treat. Enough so that my friend has asked me to make 80 for her wedding! What do you think is the most in advance I can make them and still be at their best? Thankyou, sinead xxx

    • Jane's Patisserie on May 1, 2017 at 5:09 pm

      Amazing! With Cupcakes unfortunately I’d say they only really last 2-3days… so ideally you want to bake them the day before, but if you’re too squeezed for time the day before that is fine as you’ll be eating them on the 3rd day if that makes sense? Store them in cupcake boxes though and not an airtight container xx



  7. Paula Roberts on February 1, 2017 at 5:11 pm

    Sorry- I meant to say same not sane!?

  8. Paula Roberts on February 1, 2017 at 5:10 pm

    Hi Jane! These look fantastic! Can I ask a really stupid question? How small do you need to cut the hole? Is it the sane as for a butterfly cake maybe? Thank you!

    • Jane's Patisserie on February 1, 2017 at 5:18 pm

      Yeah basically the same – just a smallish hole to put the caramel in!



    • Paula Roberts on February 1, 2017 at 6:26 pm

      Thank you!



  9. Brooke on November 22, 2016 at 5:05 pm

    Do you know these measurements in the United States customary units?

  10. Lydia on September 29, 2016 at 10:45 pm

    Just finished making these for my mums birthday as she loves salted caramel so much! This recipe was so easy to follow & the cupcakes turned out looking great! Can’t wait to try tomorrow, thanks for posting this! 🙂 X

    • Jane's Patisserie on September 30, 2016 at 2:47 pm

      Oh thats amazing! 😀 I’m so glad you enjoyed them and I hope your mum loves them too!! x



  11. Julie on April 5, 2016 at 4:37 pm

    These salted caramel cupcakes look scrumptious! Must be a little bite of heaven.

    • Jane's Patisserie on April 5, 2016 at 7:11 pm

      Ohh thank you Julie!! They were rather delicious I must say! xx



  12. Sophie on April 5, 2016 at 6:46 am

    Oh my goodness! I seem to be bookmarking all your recipes! Haha.

    • Jane's Patisserie on April 5, 2016 at 9:17 am

      Hahaha thank you! That’s no bad thing 😉 Hehe!



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