Description
Delicious vanilla cupcakes topped with a rich caramel drizzle.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting)
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar (for frosting)
- 2–3 tablespoons heavy cream (for frosting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for frosting)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (for caramel)
- ¼ cup water (for caramel)
- ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature (for caramel)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for caramel)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt (optional, for salted caramel)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a cupcake pan with paper liners.
- Make Cupcake Batter: In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix just until combined.
- Bake Cupcakes: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: Beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla extract and heavy cream, beating for an additional 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Make Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water, stirring gently until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and bring to a boil without stirring. Cook until the mixture turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in heavy cream until smooth. Add butter and stir until melted. If making salted caramel, stir in sea salt. Let cool to room temperature.
- Assemble Cupcakes: Pipe the frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the frosting.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for the best texture.
- If your caramel thickens too much as it cools, gently reheat it to drizzle consistency.
- For extra flavor, consider using vanilla paste instead of extract in either the batter or frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg