Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes

Am I the only one who thought (please notice that this was in the past!) that adding sea salt to something sweet is an utter stupidity? I`m sorry I had those prejudices. The Baking Police should arrest me for misjudging the heavenly taste of salted caramel. 

The main reason I made these is that I was curious to see how a pinch of salt could actually taste good in a dessert. Guess what? I`m in love with it.

 I like how the salt "cuts" the sweetness in the frosting and the toffee bits. When you take a bite, you first taste the salt and think "Wtf, tastebuds?", but then...oh, dear me! It`s like you`re floating on clouds of sugar. 

What would happen if there wasn`t the salt in here? Well, the cupcakes would still be delicious, but the amount of sugar might make you want to trow it away rather than to devour it to the last bite.

Hi, my name is Corina and I like to drizzle caramel sauce all over the place, nice to meet you. 

Of course, the puddle of (homemade-I`ll post a recipe later) caramel sauce is totally optional. But, I had a jar and I somehow didn`t manage to eat it entirely, so I spooned it over the cupcakes. And I am in Heaven, thank you.

For those who diet: no, I did not count the calories, but I can tell you that I spent an hour and a half at the gym for nothing. And when I`m at the gym (hard to believe, right?), beware, `cos that treadmill is going to get hot. Ok, not really, but I like running and half of my time spent working out consists of running. 

But we`re not here to talk physical exercise. Back to the Cupcakes!

I think I might have developed and obsession for them. All I can think of is what flavors pair well for Cupcakes and when to find time to make a batch. Really, they are so easy! No wonder everybody likes them. They can be simple but fancy. Does that make any sense?

I`m no good cake decorator as I lack the proper equipment and maybe skills, but I do my best and I promise to get better. 

Until then, you`ll have to deal with my messy way of frosting Cupcakes. 

See `ye! :D

Ingredients:

for the Chocolate cupcakes:(makes 12)

180 gr. white, all purpose flour

160 gr granulated white sugar

1/2 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

20 gr cocoa powder

pinch of salt

180 gr softened unsalted butter

125 ml milk

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.

for the Caramel Buttercream frosting:

145 gr. softened unsalted butter

225 gr powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons caramel sauce (homemade or bought)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

chopped caramels for decorating

coarse sea salt(or any other salt, but it has to be coarse)

Directions-Cupcakes:

1.Preheat your oven to 375 d F/180 d C and line a muffin tin with muffin paper liners. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, dump in the flour,sugar,baking powder,baking soda, cocoa powder, salt and whisk them together just to combine. With the mixer on low, add the butter and beat for 2 minutes or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs (butter has to be well incorporated).

3. Separately, crack the eggs, add the milk and vanilla extract. Beat with the mixer for 2 minutes. Add it in a thin stream to the butter-flour mixture which I mentioned above. Beat everything for 1 more minute or until you have a batter with no flour specks or lumps.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups and bake it for 24 minutes or until the cupcakes spring back when touched. Take them out of the oven and leave them to cool 15 minutes in the pan, then take them out on a cooling rack and wait for them to come to room temperature.

Directions-Frosting:

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter on high speed until it becomes pale, 5-6 minutes.

Sift the sugar and add it in, starting on low speed in order not to get it in your face and increase the speed to high. Beat it for an additional 3 minutes or until light,pale&fluffy.

2. Spoon in the caramel sauce and vanilla extract, beating on medium-high speed for 4 more minutes. 

Now it is ready to frost your cupcakes. Please note that if you are not planning to use it right away, cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge, although it might lose its fluffy consistency and become more dense.

You can either pipe it or spread it on your cupcake with a butterknife.

Top with a few caramels, drizzle 1/2 teaspoon (or more) of caramel sauce and sprinkle some salt on them.

These cupcakes are good even the next day, but I don`t think they`ll last that much.