These Salted Caramel Cupcakes involve three delicious elements: the cupcake, the salted caramel filling, and the salted caramel frosting. If you like salted caramel, you will love these cupcakes!

Head-on closeup view of a salted caramel cupcake with buttercream and caramel drizzle with more cupcakes in the background and recipe title at top

(This recipe for Salted Caramel Cupcakes was originally published in September 2011, but was updated with new photos in 2020).

One of my very favorite flavor combinations this time of year is salted caramel. OK fine, thats true any time of year! I actually fell for the sweet/salty combo when I found myself always buying the salted caramel hot chocolate at Starbucks a few winters back. It was soul-warming and lovely and very easy to become addicted!

Since fall is officially here, I decided what better way to end the weekend than by baking some seasonal cupcakes. I was caaaa-raaaa-ving cupcakes. And caramel. And salt? Yes. So, naturally, salted caramel cupcakes had to be made. I used this recipe and just altered it slightly.

It was a glorious 2-hour baking session spent by my lonesome, in my kitchen, listening to solid tunes, on a sunny Sunday afternoon before the Patriots game. It was exactly what the final day of the weekend should be.

How to Make Salted Caramel Cupcakes

These salted caramel cupcakes are a bit more complex than the typical cupcake. They involve three elements and I promise you that each element is equally as important as the next. The cupcakes may take you a bit of time, but the end result is so worth it.

Let's start with the cupcake part of the recipe. This part is super easy and simply involves making a standard cupcake batter (but with brown sugar instead of granulated) and baking them.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until each is well incorporated into the mixture. Then add vanilla.

In three batches, add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk, making sure that each previous batch is incorporated before adding the next.

Fill each muffin tin about ¾ of the way with batter.

Collage showing process for making cupcakes, including dry ingredients mixed in bow, batter in bowl, and batter in cupcake tins ready for oven

bake for 23-25 minutes. Let cool in tin for a few minutes before moving cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to Make Salted Caramel Filling

While the cupcakes are cooling, you can make the filling. It's a pretty simple caramel sauce and easy to make, though I know caramel making can be a little intimidating if it's your first time. Just follow the directions and you'll be fine!

In a large saucepan, melt sugar over medium/high heat. Begin to gently whisk the sugar until it starts melting. Add the butter and mix until it begins to melt.

Pour in heavy cream. The mixture will begin foaming when you add the cream. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and salt and allow the sauce cool just slightly.

Try your hardest not to dive into the hot pot to take a bath in the caramel. Because it's that good and I nearly burned my finger "sampling" it while it was hot. I don't have patience when it comes to food.

Collage showing process for making caramel filling, including caramel foaming in saucepan and caramel cooling in saucepan

When the cupcakes are completely cool, core out a small section from the middle (either using a cupcake corer or with a knife). Fill center of cupcake with 1-2 teaspoon caramel sauce. Place removed cupcake top back on if desired (not totally necessary since you'll be topping cupcake with frosting).

Save any remaining filling to drizzle over finished cupcakes.

Overhead view of baked cupcakes with center cored out and caramel filling in them

Oh, and it's totally okay if your cupcakes look like a hot mess at this point, so don't you even worry about that. They still taste the same and you're going to slather them in frosting anyway. Let's talk about that now.

How to Make Buttercream Frosting

Now we're going to make another type of salted caramel and mix it into buttercream frosting for the most delicious cupcake topping ever. By the time this is over, you're going to be a caramel making pro!

In a saucepan, combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring at all, until it starts turning a deep brown/amber.

Remove from heat and slowly add cream and vanilla. Lightly stir until the mixture is smooth in texture. Allow the caramel to cool, for about 20-25 minutes, but make sure to keep on eye on it as if it gets too cool, it will thicken and won't be pourable (if this happens, add a touch of water, reheat on the stovetop, and continue whisking until the caramel is pourable again).

In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and salt until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Slow mixer speed down a bit and add confectioners' sugar, until combined.

Using a spatula, scrape the sides of the mixer and add in the caramel. Mix until all of the caramel is incorporated.

Overhead view of caramel in saucepan and caramel blended into buttercream frosting

I refuse to be a lier. I licked the spatula like there was NO TOMORROW. While doing a little (big) jig. This frosting is everything to me.

Now you're ready to top the cupcakes with the frosting and never look back. I used a Wilton 1A pastry tip and basically just piped a mound of frosting on each of my cupcakes. Then I drizzled them with some of that leftover caramel filling and added a few sprinkles on top.

Head-on view of a salted caramel cupcake with caramel drizzle with more cupcakes in background

They're pretty cupcakes, but I personally think they're even prettier when you cut them open.

Because omg look at that salted caramel filling. It's the best little surprise!

Overhead landscape view of salted caramel cupcake cut in half showing filling in center

But that frosting. I just cannot get over the frosting.

Life from this point on will be a sweet (and salty), caramel-filled, wonderland. If you have any salted caramel addicts in your life, you need to make these cupcakes for them immediately.

And please make an extra batch of buttercream frosting for me.

Head-on closeup view of a salted caramel cupcake with buttercream and caramel drizzle with more cupcakes in the background

What's your favorite non-traditional seasonal flavor combination?

If you're looking for more caramel desserts, try my Apple Cider Cookies with Caramel or my Salted Caramel Cookie S'mores. Now I can't wait to make this Salted Caramel No Bake Cheesecake from The Cookie Rookie!

📖 Recipe