Ingredients
Scale
- 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup caramel sauce, divided
- Sea salt flakes for garnish
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can easily make a substitute by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for a few minutes. It’s a little trick I learned from those days when I needed to whip up something special without a trip to the store.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. This step reminds me of my mom’s patient mixing; the key is to get it just right.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter. Spoon a teaspoon of caramel sauce into the center of each cupcake.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the cooled cupcakes and sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
Don’t worry if the caramel oozes a bit; that’s part of the charm! These cupcakes are all about imperfection and indulgence.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Keywords: Gooey Salted Caramel Cupcakes, recipe, cooking, food
