Ooey, gooey caramel is one of my favorite treats. I’d been craving a taste of caramel, so when I needed some cupcakes for a dinner I was attending, I decided I’d make cupcakes with caramel frosting. Then, I decided too much caramel was not enough and upped the ante with a caramel center. Because these cupcakes are semi-homemade, they don’t take hours to prepare, but still look like I spent the day in the kitchen. There’s a gluten free option too, allowing them to be enjoyed by the celiacs in the family. What could be better?
To make the cupcakes I started with a gluten free vanilla cake mix I “jazzed up” a little. I prepared the cupcakes as directed but added a little butter, sour cream and almond extract to the mix.
Once I had prepared the batter, I filled each of my cupcake tins half full. I added a half of caramel to the center and covered the caramel with a teaspoon of cake batter. Hint: Use good quality caramel in the center. It really does make a difference in taste. I used AnnieB’s original caramels that I chopped in half, but any good caramel will do.
I baked the cupcakes as directed and allowed them to cool completely before frosting. While the cupcakes were cooling, I made homemade caramel frosting. Use less confectioners sugar if you want it to have a ganache texture, like I did, or increase the sugar to make a thicker frosting.
Once the cupcakes were cooled and frosted, I used the thicker frosting to pipe a design on them. Beware, this frosting is rich, but soooooooo good.
- 1 package gluten free or regular vanilla cake mix
- Ingredients to prepare mix as listed on package
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 24 caramels, unwrapped
- Frosting:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 to 2 cups powdered sugar, depending on how thick you want the icing
- Prepare cake as directed on package. Mix in butter, almond extract and sour cream. Fill muffin tins half full of batter. Depending on size of caramels, place 1/2 to 1 caramel in each cupcake. Cover with a teaspoon of batter. Bake as directed on package. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting:
- Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add brown sugar. Allow mixture to boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add cream and bring mixture back to a boil, stirring constantly. When mixture returns to boiling, remove from heat.
- Add powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Frost cupcakes immediately.
Do you have a favorite homemade caramel recipe you use? Feel free to share it with us!
Looking for more cupcake recipes? Try these:
My husband and my daughter are huge fans of caramel! They would love me forever if I made these treats for them!
These look insanely good! I’ll have to pin this post so I can try this recipe out later.
We love cupcakes, exactly! Caramel is my kids wanting, this would be fun.
I am always looking for new treat recipes to try. I will have to get the ingredients i need to make this on the weekend.
Oh my, this is such a wonderful treat. My mom is a caramel fanatic. I might just have to make these as a surprise for her.
OH man this is right up my alley. I love everything about these cupcakes, esp. the frosting.
Oh My Gosh! These look so good. I love anything caramel!!! I bet these would be good using a chocolate cupcake too.
Oh no. These would be so dangerous in my house. I’d probably eat more than my fair share. These look SO good. I need to make them asap!
Baking cupcakes is one of my favorite things to do with my kids. These look amazing!
I love caramel so I am all over these! I especially love the caramel filling – great idea!
My husband doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, which works out perfectly for us since I do! However, caramel is totally his thing. I need to make these for him.
WOW that looks like a lot of work but it seemed so simple how you broke it down. I would give these a go!
Oh yum! This looks almost too good to eat!
I love caramel treats and these cupcakes look soooo good! I’m going to make it with my son!
um yeah you had me at caramel! 😉 Anything with caramel IN it and then topped with more caramel? well yeah bring it on! 😉
I cannot wait to try this recipe. Caramel is always the right choice!
These cupcakes would not last a day in my house. I love caramel flavored sweet treats.
These look super yummy, I know that my kiddos would eat them right up. I will have to get my teen to bake them, she is the baker around here.
Oh yum, love a good cupcake and I like your recipe because there is frosting but not super high. Seems like so many have a big fluffy frosting which is awkward to eat.
These sound outrageously good! I love that they can be made gluten-free too. That caramel in the middle…
Talk about a total YUM! I love that these cupcakes are packed with caramel both inside and out.
Those look so good! I love the idea of a caramel middle!
Those look like they should satisfy a sweet craving for sure.
This is just ridiculously delicious! I have to make these! I love caramel, and I have never seen a recipe like this! How coo
What a great recipe, right up my alley! I love caramel, these would be a hit in our home!!
Oh my gosh, are you kidding me with these? I think I want one (or three) right this very minute.
Oh my gosh! I love caramel! This is such a yummy idea.
Oh My these looks so good. I am so tempted to eat the whole batch. I am a sucker for anything sweet.
Filled with caramel?! Oh wow, these look and sound delicious!
Oh! I love caramel treats and these cupcakes look so good! Absolutely going to have to have our family bake up some of these treats.
Yummo! I love the idea of a cupcake with a nice little surprise in the center. Thanks so much for sharing this awesome recipe.
Oh MY Gosh… Those look to die for! They seem quite simple to make actually and that is an added bonus.
These look so good! I love caramel and in cupcakes oh my gosh yum!
Same here! It’s one of my favorites actually! They are so good.
I love the little surprise inside! Cupcakes are my weakness 🙂