Salted caramel cupcakes with a gooey salted caramel center and a light caramel mascarpone frosting.
I make these when I want a true sweet-salty cupcake that still feels light, not heavy.
After a few rounds of testing, I kept the vanilla base soft, the caramel thick, and the frosting stable for clean swirls.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Gooey salted caramel center in every bite
- Soft vanilla cupcakes that stay moist for days
- Light, not-too-sweet caramel frosting that pipes beautifully
Ingredients you need
- Butter: Unsalted butter for the cupcakes and caramel, plus flaky sea salt (or fleur de sel) for the salted caramel.
- Sugar: Fine granulated white sugar for the cupcakes and caramel, plus powdered sugar for the frosting.
- Eggs: Large eggs, at room temperature.
- Buttermilk: Or whole milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar.
- Flour: Cake flour for a softer crumb, or all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: For light, fluffy cupcakes.
- Vanilla & salt: Pure vanilla extract and fine salt to balance the sweetness.
- Mascarpone: Full-fat mascarpone, cold, for a light and creamy frosting.
- Heavy cream: Full-fat cream (30–35%) to whip with the mascarpone and caramel.
Tips before you start
- Use room temperature ingredients: Helps create a smooth batter and soft, moist cupcakes.
- Measure ingredients accurately: A digital kitchen scale gives more consistent results than cups.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely: Always cool before adding caramel and frosting to avoid melting.
- Whip the frosting gently: Mix on low to medium speed until smooth, stopping before it turns grainy.
- Chill frosted cupcakes: Refrigerate for about 1 hour so the frosting and caramel set nicely.
How to make salted caramel cupcakes
For best results, I use my homemade salted caramel, linked here for full details.
Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it turns into a deep amber caramel.
Add the butter, then slowly pour in the cream and fleur de sel, stirring until smooth and slightly thickened.
This recipe use with my classic vanilla cupcake base, which I use for most birthday and celebration cupcakes.
Cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and smooth.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix just until combined.
Alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, mixing gently until smooth.
Fill the liners ¾ full and bake at 180°C (350°F) until lightly golden and set.
The topping is made with my salted caramel mascarpone frosting, light, creamy, and perfect for piping.
Whip the cold mascarpone, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and slightly cooled salted caramel until thick and fluffy.
Core the cupcakes and fill with salted caramel.
Pipe the frosting on top, drizzle with caramel, and chill briefly before serving.
Serving suggestions
Serve these salted caramel cupcakes slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Perfect for birthdays, holidays, or anytime you want a rich caramel dessert.
Storage
- Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Recipe variations
- Chocolate caramel cupcakes: Use a chocolate cupcake base instead of vanilla.
- Caramel buttercream: Swap the mascarpone frosting for a caramel buttercream.
- Nutty version: Add chopped pecans or almonds to the batter or on top.
- Mini cupcakes: Bake in mini liners and reduce the baking time.
You can also make this recipe as a full-size dessert with my salted caramel cake, using the same flavors in a layered cake.
Recipe Questions
Can I make salted caramel cupcakes ahead of time?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes and prepare the caramel a day ahead. Assemble the day of serving.
Do these cupcakes need to be refrigerated?
Yes, because of the caramel and mascarpone frosting.
Can I use store-bought caramel?
Yes, as long as it’s thick and not too runny.
Why is my frosting too soft?
The mascarpone and cream must be very cold, and the caramel should be slightly cooled before mixing.
More Cupcake Recipes
I hope you’ll love this recipe! If you try this recipe, feel free to leave a comment. It always helps. Happy baking!
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Salted Caramel Cupcakes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12cupcakes
Description
Soft vanilla cupcakes filled with gooey salted caramel and topped with a light mascarpone caramel frosting.
A rich but balanced dessert with a perfect sweet-and-salty flavor.
Ingredients
Vanilla cupcakes
- 100 g (½ cup) butter – unsalted, softened
- 120 g (⅔ cup) sugar – granulated white
- 2 eggs – room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 135 ml (½ cup) buttermilk
- 150 g (1 ¼ cups) cake flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Caramel whipped frosting
- 250 g (1 cup) mascarpone – cold
- 250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream – cold
- 2–3 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 g (¼ cup) salted caramel sauce
Salted butter caramel sauce
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 80 g (⅓ cup) butter – salted or unsalted
- 150 g (⅔ cup) heavy cream – room temperature
- 3 pinches fleur de sel
Instructions
Salted caramel
- Heat the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until fully melted and amber.
- Add the butter and stir until smooth, then pour in the cream in 2–3 additions while stirring.
- Cook for 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened, add fleur de sel, then blend if needed until smooth. Let cool.
Vanilla cupcakes
- Mix and sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Alternate the dry ingredients with the buttermilk, mixing gently until combined.
- Fill the liners about two-thirds full and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 18–20 minutes.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Caramel mascarpone frosting
- Whip the mascarpone, cold cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and slightly warm caramel for about 2 minutes until thick and smooth.
- Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a decorating tip.
Assembly
- Core the cupcakes and fill with salted caramel.
- Pipe the frosting on top, drizzle with caramel, then chill for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Storage: Store the cupcakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let sit at room temperature 10–15 minutes before serving.
Tips:
- Use room-temperature eggs and butter for a smooth batter.
- Weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale for best results.
- Let cupcakes cool completely before filling and frosting.
- Use cold mascarpone and cream for a stable frosting.
- Chill the cupcakes before serving so the caramel sets nicely.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: cupcakes
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Américan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 372
- Sugar: 35.2 g
- Sodium: 110.1 mg
- Fat: 19.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.6 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 85.4 mg
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