Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

For the cupcakes:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 36 muffin cups with paper liners.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Add the eggs, buttermilk, water, oil and vanilla and mix with an electric mixer, or stand mixer, until well combined, about 2 minutes.

Fill the cupcake liners 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Remove from oven. Remove cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting:
In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter until it is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar, heavy cream and salted caramel sauce and beat for a full 3 minutes until it is light and fluffy. Add a little more sugar if it’s too runny or add a little more cream if it’s too thick.

Frost the cooled cupcakes. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip to pipe the swirls onto the cupcakes. If you want the same rose style frosting, pipe starting in the middle and then around in a swirl to the edges. Drizzle more salted caramel sauce over top of the frosted cupcakes.

Source: Cupcakes slightly adapted from Cookies and Cups, frosting adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.