Chocolate Caramel Surprise Cupcakes is a chocolate cupcake with a caramel nougat center topped with a chocolate and caramel swirl buttercream.
Chocolate cake is pretty much my favorite thing right now. Any time I have a craving it involves chocolate cake. So yesterday when the kids all asked me what we were making for a special dessert, special because there was no school and they had friends over, I naturally had to involve my favorite chocolate cake.
With 12 mini-chefs ready to assist we “accomplished” and I say accomplished, as with this many helpers the fact we came out with a finished and tasty cupcake was no short of a miracle.
So here is an original recipe from our chef filled kitchen, rich Chocolate Caramel Surprise Cupcakes: a chocolate cupcake with a caramel nougat center topped with a chocolate caramel buttercream.
Enjoy! XOXO San and kids: Aiden, Madden, Jersey, Jojo, Cannon and their friends Bradon, Isaac, Emmett, Audrey, Izabella, Gabbie, Claire, little Isaac and baby Adelle
How do you make Chocolate Caramel Surprise Cupcakes?
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liner cupcake pans with 16 cupcake liners.
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Mix all ingredients together until moist and well blended. Add batter in cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool completely, and using a teaspoon remove the center of the cupcake. Discard centers, by eating them (smile).
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Cream butter, caramel, and marshmallow cream together. Add vanilla and mix in powdered sugar until filling is at desired sweetness and consistency (should be like a thick caramel). To get the right consistency add more powdered sugar and/or caramel until you get the taste and consistency you desire.
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Using a frosting bag or tablespoon, fill the center of the cupcakes with the filling. Fill all the way and just a little bit over the top. The filling will sink a tad after sitting.
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Cream together butter and vanilla with a mixer. Slowly blend in cocoa powder then sugar one cup at a time. Beat in milk until light and fluffy. Add more milk or sugar as needed until you get the desired consistency. Keep covered until ready to frost.
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Spoon buttercream into one side of a piping bag, or a Ziploc with the corner snipped off. Scrape caramel topping one tablespoon at a time into the other side of the bag. Pipe onto cupcakes, you may not see the caramel at first.
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Serve once frosted, and enjoy!
Love these fun cupcakes? Try these other recipes! Easy Rocket Cupcakes, Oreo Spider Cupcakes, and these Buried Treasure Cupcakes.
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!
Chocolate Caramel Surprise Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
Nougat Filling
- 1/4 cup softened butter
- 6.5 ounces marshmallow cream
- 3 tablespoons Smuckers Caramel Topping
- 1/2 -1 cup powdered sugar
Buttercream
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
- 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 4 tablespoons Smuckers Caramel Topping
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liner cupcake pans with 16 cupcake liners.
- Mix all ingredients together until moist and well blended. Add batter in cupcake liners about 2/3 full. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely, and using a teaspoon remove the center of the cupcake. Discard centers, by eating them (smile).
Nougat Filling
- Cream butter, caramel, and marshmallow cream together. Add vanilla and mix in powdered sugar until filling is at desired sweetness and consistency (should be like a thick caramel). To get the right consistency add more powdered sugar and/or caramel until you get the taste and consistency you desire.
- Using a frosting bag or tablespoon, fill the center of the cupcakes with the filling. Fill all the way and just a little bit over the top. The filling will sink a tad after sitting.
Buttercream
- Cream together butter and vanilla with a mixer. Slowly blend in cocoa powder then sugar one cup at a time. Beat in milk until light and fluffy. Add more milk or sugar as needed until you get the desired consistency. Keep covered until ready to frost.
- Spoon buttercream into one side of a piping bag, or a Ziploc with the corner snipped off. Scrape caramel topping one tablespoon at a time into the other side of the bag. Pipe onto cupcakes, you may not see the caramel at first.
- Serve once frosted, and enjoy!
Kids review: The kids love this cupcake, they called it the surprise cupcake because most of them forgot that we put something in the middle. They said it was like a little present in the middle.
I love cupcakes now filled cupcakes, I’m pregnant and craving , wonder how will your recipe work with pastry cream or custards. yummy!!! Hope you don’t mind me twisting it a bit.
I love it with custards!!! It is the best! Tweak all you want. 🙂 San
Chocolate and caramel were just made to go together, weren’t they? This sounds amazing!
Agreed Robin and chocolate and peanut butter! xo San
Girl, you are the cupcake queen! These looks so delicious! Also, I love the name inspiration at the bottom of your post (since I am pregnant, I always like seeing different names!)!
Thanks Allyson! Congrats on the baby! xo San
These sound and look incredible! WOW! Your pictures are truly stunning and I can’t wait to try these delicious cupcakes – love caramel and chocolate!!!
Thanks Jen! I appreciate that coming from you! xo San
That frosting looks to die for! I would love one of these right about now. Chocolate and caramel are one of my favorite combinations. Yum!
The frosting is killer. xo San
Those look so delicious. I think I’d like one with a hot cup of coffee, please!
LOL. Wish I could bring you one. xo San
These look divine! I am craving chocolate and could really use one or two of these LOL!
Chocolate every day keep my insanity away. :O San
OMG! My kids love “stuff in the middle” Myself- you had me at chocolate! I feel like jumping in the car and buying all these ingredients and going all out! Yum!
Oh thanks Milena, your comment made my day! xo San
I am a huge chocoholic so your cupcake pictures have my mouth watering! I printed the recipe so I can make them sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for coming by Jen! xo San
Oh my gosh, these look
Totally amazing!! I love the surprise cream filling!
Me too, and so do the kids! xo San
I’d like just a spoon of the icing. That would satisfy me for a moment. Then maybe a cupcake. Yummy!
Linda
I can barely make it past the batter it is my favorite. xo San
These cupcakes look delicious! I love the combo of chocolate and caramel. They are just meant to go together.
These look INSANELY good, Sandra!
Thanks Becca!! xo San
Wow pretty much describes these! Anytime caramel and chocolate is involved, I’m there. These look like pretty much the best cupcakes I’ve even seen! Can’t believe they came out so gorgeous with so many kidlets helping! You must be a saint in the kitchen!
Yummmm …. seriously this is one of the best looking cupcakes I’ve seen in a long time. Beautiful composition also.
Mary Ellen that is so sweet, thanks for the comment! xo San
These Look To Die For Thank You For The Recipe!1
Thanks Lisa xo San
These look amazing and yummy!
Thanks Lisa! xo San
Only thing im missing is some sea salt! Salted carmel chocolate is my favorite! Mighy need to.adapt this for vegan baking.
I completely agree! I love sea salt! xo San
Chocolate and me are like peanut butter and jelly – meant to be together. And these look incredible Sandra!
LOL! I love that, me too! San
I love when there’s something in the middle! These look amazing, and I would be doing exactly what your adorable little one is doing — licking the batter!
I love this batter more than any other batter – a weakness of mine. xo San
I’m totally drooling over here! these look delicious and combine my two favorite things: Chocolate and caramel!
Love it! That is what it does to me too!
San
These look so heavenly! I want one right now! 🙂
Thanks Sheena! xo San
G’day! These looks fantastic Sandra! Wish I could sneak through the screen and try one now!
Cheers! Joanne
I wish you could too! xo San
You are making me so hungry right now;) These look amazing!
love caramel, fun and yummy surprise in the middle – yummy!