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Chocolate caramel cupcakes with chocolate pretzel butterfly and drizzled caramel
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5 from 1 vote

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Moist chocolate cupcake, gooey salted caramel filling, whipped caramel milk chocolate, pretzel butterflies and chocolate coated almonds. 

Prep Time1 hr 30 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Cooling time30 mins
Total Time2 hrs 30 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramel, chocolate, cupcake, pretzel, whipped ganache
Servings: 10 cupcakes
Author: Dea Kepic

Ingredients

Milk Chocolate and Caramel Whipped Ganache

  • 300 g milk caramel chocolate I used almond caramel sea salt chocolate from Chocolate from heaven
  • 200 g whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp butter

Salted Caramel

  • 200 g sugar
  • 180 g whipping cream
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Cupcakes

  • 100 g butter at room temperature
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 80 g sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 80 g flour
  • 20 g cocoa powder
  • 1/3 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda

Decorations

  • 2 handfuls of pretzels 1 for butterflies
  • a handful of chocolate coated almonds I used these
  • 2 handfuls dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions

Milk Chocolate and Caramel Whipped Ganache

  • Heat the cream to a simmer and pour over the chocolate that you broke into small pieces. Leave for a minute then whisk until you get a homogeneous and shiny ganache.
  • Mix in the butter, leave to cool to room temperature, cover with cling film and place in the fridge. Meanwhile, make the salted caramel and chocolate cupcakes.

Salted Caramel

  • Weigh the cream and set aside. Place half of the sugar in a wide and tall heavy bottom pan and heat it on medium heat. Leave to caramelize undisturbed as long as possible. When you see the caramelization getting too dark on one place start to stir the sugar with a metal whisk to distribute everything evenly. When about half of the sugar is caramelized, add the other half of the sugar and let it slowly turn into caramel, stir when needed and don't go away while making the caramel. As soon as the sugar all melts, remove the pan from the heat and add in the caramel while whisking vigorously. Be careful to not touch the sugar or splash it around as it is very hot. Stir the caramel until you have a homogenous mixture. If there are caramel bits on the whisk that have to be melted place it back on the heat just to melt it. Mix in the butter, vanilla and salt.
  • Transfer to a bowl where you can blend it with an immersion blender. Try not to add the air in while blending. Leave to cool.

Chocolate cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the muffin tray with 10 cupcake liners.
  • Beat the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy on medium-high speed, about 4 minutes. Add in the egg, beat for another minute. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix half of the flour mixture in the butter, add the sour cream, combine, and then briefly mix in the second half of the flour mixture just until everything is combined. Don't over-mix.
  • Distribute the batter to the cupcake liners and bake for about 17-20 minutes. Check if they are done by inserting a toothpick or a clean knife in the center, if it comes out with no wet batter on, it's done.
  • Let them cool.

Assemble

  • Check the instructions for chocolate pretzel butterflies in the text before the recipe, if you are making them.
  • Roughly chop a handful of pretzels and the chocolate coated almonds. Separate and set aside 1/4 of the caramel sauce for the drizzle.
  • Take the cooled ganache and whip it on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes until it holds its shape enough to be piped. Be careful to not over-mix. Place the whipped ganache in a piping bag with a star nozzle tip.
  • Core the center of the cupcakes and fill them with salted caramel sauce. Pipe the whipped ganache on top.
  • Take the chopped pretzels and almonds and stick them around the bottom part of the frosting. Place a chocolate pretzel butterfly on top. Heat up the leftover caramel and drizzle it on top of the cupcakes.
  • Now enjoy your rich, indulgent salted caramel chocolate cupcakes!

Notes

  • If you can't get the Chocolate from heaven chocolate, use other caramel milk chocolate or milk chocolate.
  • Use as much caramel as you want in the filling and on top.
  • Cut the holes in the cupcakes accordingly.
  • Caramel can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container.
  • Use as much salt as you want in the caramel, if you prefer it more salty use more than the given amount.
  • If you don't want to make the chocolate butterflies, just use more pretzels for decoration.
  • Chocolate cupcakes can be made ahead and stored in a ziplock bag placed in the freezer. 3 months max.
  • Assembled salted caramel chocolate cupcakes are best eaten fresh.
  • Store them in an airtight container for 3 days.
Tried this recipe?Mention @FreakyBlond or tag #prettysweetblog!