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–+ servings
A square picture with cupcakes with caramel frosting and salted caramel drippings

Easy Salted Caramel Cupcakes Recipe

Andréa
These easy salted caramel cupcakes are soft, fluffy, and topped with a rich, creamy caramel frosting. A perfect sweet-and-salty treat!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Cooling time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Sweets and Sweet Baking
Cuisine American
Servings 12 cupcakes
Calories 611 kcal

Ingredients
 

Salted Caramel sauce

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1½ stick butter room temperature
  • 1 cup heavy cream room temperature
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Vanilla cupcakes

  • 2 sticks butter room temperature
  • 1¼ cup sugar
  • 4 eggs size L
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups self-rising flour
  • ¼ cup milk

Frosting

  • 1 cup cream cheese room temperature
  • 2 sticks butter room temperature
  • 1½ cup confectioners sugar
  • ½ cup salted caramel sauce

Assembling

  • 3 tablespoons salted caramel sauce

Ingredients you need per step are listed below the step in Italic

Instructions
 

Make the Salted Caramel Sauce

  • Spread the sugar evenly in a pan.
    2 cups sugar
  • Heat the pan on low heat and let the sugar melt until it turns amber-brown.
  • Add the butter (be careful, it will bubble). Stir well and turn off the heat.
    1½ stick butter
  • Slowly pour the cream while stirring (it may splash, so be careful).
    1 cup heavy cream
  • Sprinkle the salt on top and mix well.
    ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Let the caramel sauce cool to room temperature.

Make the Vanilla Cupcakes

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F
  • Place paper cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
  • Beat the butter on high speed until creamy, for 3 minutes.
    2 sticks butter
  • Add the sugar and mix for another 2 minutes.
    1¼ cup sugar
  • Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each egg.
    4 eggs
  • Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly.
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Gently fold in the flour with a spatula.
    2 cups self-rising flour
  • Pour in the milk and fold it in.
    ¼ cup milk
  • Divide the batter into the cupcake liners.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let the cupcakes cool completely.

Make the Frosting

  • In a bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
    1 cup cream cheese, 2 sticks butter
  • Add the confectioners’ sugar and salted caramel sauce.
    ½ cup salted caramel sauce, 1½ cup confectioners sugar
  • Mix until smooth and creamy (start on low speed to avoid mess).
  • Transfer the frosting to a piping bag with a large round or star tip.

Assemble the Cupcakes

  • Place a cooled cupcake in front of you.
  • Pipe the frosting on top in a circular motion.
  • Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the frosting using a spoon or bottle.
    3 tablespoons salted caramel sauce

NOTES

1. Caramel Sauce FAQs
  • Can I make the caramel sauce ahead of time? Yes! Store it in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week.
  • How do I prevent the caramel from crystallizing? Stir gently and avoid sudden temperature changes.
  • Can I use store-bought caramel? Absolutely! But homemade always tastes the best.
2. Storage
You can only store the cupcakes without frosting.
  • Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Refrigerate: Store for up to a week.
  • Freezer: Cupcakes (without frosting) can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 156mg | Sodium: 376mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 1300IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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