Chocolate Salted-Caramel Mini Cupcakes

• Vegetarian

• Refrigerated

  • 2 Eggs, large

• Condiments

  • 1 tbsp Corn syrup, light

• Baking & Spices

  • 1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp Baking powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp Baking soda
  • 1 5/16 cup Cocoa powder, unsweetened Dutch-process
  • 3/4 cup Confectioners' sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 Sea salt
  • 2 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 1 1/2 lbs Semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract

• Oils & Vinegars

  • 3 tbsp Vegetable oil

• Dairy

  • 2 1/4 cups Butter, unsalted
  • 3/4 cup Buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup Heavy cream

• Liquids

  • 2 cup Water

Found on bakeorbreak.com

Ingredients

• 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup warm water
• sea salt, for garnish
• 2 & 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 & 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon boiling water
• 2 & 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 & 1/2 pounds semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Directions

• To make the cupcakes:
• Preheat oven to 350°. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners.
• Whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and water. Using an electric mixer on low speed, mix until smooth.
• Fill muffin pans about 2/3 full. Bake about 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks about 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes to wire racks to let cool completely.
• Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature or frozen in an airtight container for up to a month.
• To make the filling:
• Heat sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Stir occasionally until syrup is clear. Attach a candy thermometer to side of pan. Stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed.
• Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and temperature just reaches 360°.
• Remove from heat. Slowly pour in cream and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Use immediately. If caramel begins to harden, reheat gently until pourable.
• Use a paring knife, cut a cone-shaped piece, about 1/2-inch deep, from the center of each cupcake. Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of warm filling into each cupcake. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over filling.
• To make the frosting:
• Combine cocoa and boiling water. Stir until cocoa has dissolved.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add melted and cooled chocolate. Beat until combined. Beat in cocoa mixture.
• Frosting can be refrigerated up to 5 days or frozen up to 1 month. Bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth before using.
• Fit a pastry bag with a medium open-star tip (Wilton #18). Fill pastry bag with frosting. Pipe onto cupcakes, swirling tip and releasing as you pull up to form a peak. Garnish with a pinch of sea salt.
• Cupcakes are best eaten the day they are filled and frosted. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container until ready to serve.