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The Quickest Salted Caramel Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

The quickest recipe for salted caramel cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. Ready in 45 minutes, from start to finish!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Frosting Prep & Decorating Time10 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cake frosting, cream cheese, cream cheese frosting, cupcakes, salted caramel
Servings: 12 cupcakes
Author: Marta

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 3 eggs
  • 225 ml milk
  • 300 g all-purpose flour
  • 225 g sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 150 g butter
  • 3 tsp vanilla extract
  • English toffees

For the Salted Caramel

  • 50 g sugar
  • 25 g butter
  • 30 ml double cream
  • A pinch of salt

For the Frosting

  • 200 g butter (at room temperature)
  • 60 g confectioners sugar
  • 100 g cream cheese

Instructions

For the Cupcakes

  • Line a standard cupcake tin for 12 cupcakes with cupcake liners. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan oven setting (180°C / 360°F if you are not using fan oven setting).
  • Fit a stand mixer with whisk attachment and mix eggs with milk on medium speed for approx. 2 minutes until air bubbles are visible on the surface.
  • In a separate bowl whisk flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
  • In a small pot melt butter (do not overheat it) and add to batter. Add the vanilla extract now. Using a spatula fold everything together gently.
  • Chop toffees into 0.5 cm (0.2 inch) cubes.
  • Pour the cupcake batter to cupcake liners (filling ¾ of the cupcake liner). Place a few pieces of toffee on top (do not press them into the batter).
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cupcake comes out clean. Take out of the oven and the cupcake tin. Cool on a wire rack.

For the Salted Caramel

  • Cut butter into smaller cubes and set aside.
  • In a small pot set over medium heat, heat up the sugar until it turns light brown (around 2-3 minutes). Do not stir. Take off the heat source. Add the butter - CAREFUL! as the mix will now violently bubble (best to use oven gloves). Place back on the heat source and vigorously mix sugar with butter to avoid the sugar from burning while butter is melting.
  • Now add the double cream, salt and heat everything together mixing well the entire time until the mixture starts to thicken.
  • Set aside and let it cool while preparing the next step.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Place butter and confectioners' sugar in a medium bowl of a stand mixer fit with whisk attachment. Beat on high speed for 5 minutes (not longer) until thick and creamy.
  • Scrape off sides of the bowl. Add cream cheese and whip everything together just until combined (do not overmix).
  • To decorate, line the cupcakes on a countertop. Place a piping bag over a large jar or a jug. Using an elastic band, clip the piping bag to the jar. Scoop the cream into the piping bag. Take it off the jar and firmly but gently press the cream out onto the cupcakes. Decorate with chilled salted caramel.