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!
These look amazing! (And here I was trying to convince myself that I didn’t need dessert today.) – Katy
My sister loves making cupcakes like these! I love this.
These sound delicious! Nothing bad about chocolate and caramel!
OH that center is just calling my name. It looks soooo tasty. Actually the entire cupcake is beautiful!
I am going to make these~they sound awesome. 🙂
Thanks Sally! xo San
I really want to be your taste tester! When will get the opportunity to buy your treats? You are so talented and I love reading about all your goodies, seriously move over MARTHA “YOU” are amazing, you could have your own show. And you will invite me to taste all the goodies right? !
So if I ever move Martha over, you are my first guest! And if you were closer I would so be giving you a taste of it all. I need a food tester buddy! Thanks girl your comment made my day! xo San
Chocolate and caramel? Yes please!! They look amazing, as usual. Love your beautiful pics, Sandra!
Thanks Stephanie a huge compliment coming from you! xo San
Chocolate Caramel! OOOOh hang on I am having a ahhhh moment! Looks really good.
I can’t wait to bake this. Pictures are stunning and cupcakes look out of this world
Thanks! xo San
Just reading the title of this post got me excited, then when I saw the photos I was really ready to lick the laptop screen.
Janeane – thanks girl, I am happy you liked them even through the screen! xo San
Oooh! you make this look so easy. I know they weren’t though. So inviting!
Actually Lexie, they are super simple. Give them a try and find out for yourself 🙂 San
Oh my goodness ! This looks so divine and sinful! I am trying really hard to resist. The nougat filling is just the icing on the cake 😉
My husband would seriously devour these in one sitting! Delicious!
I’m impressed with your frosting. Looks amazing!
Thanks Krystal, I ate the extra frosting with graham crackers it was oh-so-good! xo San
Oh my gosh, these are almost too pretty to eat! But the caramel makes them impossible to resist. Good thing you have pictures to preserve the memory of how gorgeous they were! 🙂
LOL! That is awesome Kristin! xo San
The nougat filling is what caught my eye. Can’t go wrong there! Yum!
Wendy – agreed, it is the reason I love Snickers bars so much. xo San
Chocolate and Caramel in one awesome cupcake, this is wonderful! Hope you have a very special weekend and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks always for hosting a great party! xo San
Your cupcakes look amazing. I have to say my favorite picture is of your little helper licking off the attachment! You are a Fabulous Feature!!!
LOL! Thanks Krista. xo San
I loved these cupcakes.
It was so yummy and delicious I loved it. Everyone loved my cupcakes.