Chocolate cupcake with salted caramel buttercream

Yet another cupcake recipe to share (and for me to record for future use).  I adapted several different recipes into one decadent cupcake.   Just take a look...

This little beauty is a chocolate cupcake with caramel filling, salted caramel buttercream topped with a caramel drizzle and milk chocolate toffee bits.  Pretty much all of my favorite things wrapped up in one little treat.  Though the cupcake recipe makes 24 cakes, the frosting only covered 12.  So I made another batch of frosting but substituted 1/2 cup of fresh strawberry puree for the caramel and omitted the salt.  Fresh strawberry buttercream is definitely a winner too.  A bit lighter than its caramel cousin if that's possible considering the butter and sugar involved. 

I have no destination other than my belly in mind for these 2 dozen cupcakes.  Yikes!  Unless anyone wants to drop by for cupcakes tomorrow, my co-workers will get to polish these off on Tuesday.  If only I loved working out as much as I love baking.  *sigh*

Perfectly Chocolate Cupcakes
(makes 24-27 standard sized cupcakes)
From Glorious Treats

2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (best quality available)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (best quality available)
1 cup boiling water

Caramel Filling
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup caramel topping

Salted Caramel Frosting
Adapted from The Novice Chef

2 sticks unsalted butter; room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup caramel topping; plus more for drizzling
3/4 teaspoon fleur de sel
1 pound confectioners’ sugar

Instructions:

Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for two minutes.  Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin).

Fill liners 2/3 full with batter.  Bake cupcakes for approximately 22-24 minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.

Stir sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping to make the filling.  Scoop out a hole in the cupcake and spoon in the filling.  Replace the scooped out portion of the cake.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter.  Add vanilla, caramel topping and fleur de sel and mix until well combined.   Add confectioners' sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Pipe icing onto cupcake, drizzle with caramel topping and sprinkle with Heath milk chocolate toffee bits (found in the baking aisle).  Or sprinkle with chopped Snickers bars.