Caramel Filled Cupcakes with Whipped Caramel Frosting {Recipe!} (2024)

May 22, 2012 · Modified: Jun 2, 2023 by Rose Atwater · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

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Let me warn you - these cupcakes are not for the faint of heart. They are rich. And sweet. You'll need to eat them with an ice cold glass of milk.

But boy, oh boy, if you love caramel, you are gonna love these!

A few weeks ago, I got a request to include some caramel cupcakes in an order for graduation cupcakes. Since I had only ever made a caramel cake, I had to get creative on how to do these!

So here's what I came up with... I started with a basic yellow cupcake (recipe below).

Then I poked a hole in them... just like I did for the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes... anyway, and I filled them with caramel. For these particular cupcakes, I used Smucker's caramel sauce, but you could also use Homemade Caramel Sauce.

Then I made the caramel frosting. I whipped it in my Kitchenaid for about 30 minutes until it was cool and very fluffy (easy to pipe)!

So... here are the recipes you'll need to whip these up for yourself!

Do you have any questions about this recipe? Leave them in the comments and I'll answer if I can!!

Caramel Filled Yellow Cupcakes with Whipped Caramel Frosting {Recipe!}

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star

3.7 from 3 reviews

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 3 dozen 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Delicious, moist yellow cake with caramel filling and whipped caramel frosting.

Ingredients

Scale

1 yellow cake mix (I prefer Pillsbury)
3 whole eggs
½ cup water
⅓ cup oil
1 cup sour cream (8 ounces)
1 small box instant vanilla pudding

For the filling:

1 stick butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

2 sticks butter
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
⅓ cup heavy cream, or more if needed
16 oz. confectioners’ sugar (~ 4 cups)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

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Instructions

For the cupcakes, thoroughly mix all ingredients together. Bake at 325° for about 18 minutes.
Allow the cupcakes to cool while you make the filling (or use pre-made Caramel sauce from a jar, such as Smuckers). When cool, use an apple corer to remove the center and prepare for filling (see how to do this [here|http://rosebakes.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-cupcakes-oh-my-goodness/).
To make the filling (if you're not using pre-made), add the butter, brown sugar and milk to a small saucepan. Heat until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves, about 3-5 minutes over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow to cool slightly and it will start to thicken. Spoon it into the cupcake holes.
For the frosting, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add in the brown sugar and cream. Heat until it boils, then remove it from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar while mixing. Add the vanilla. Continue mixing until the frosting is completely cooled and is whipped up light and fluffy.
Frost the cupcakes and enjoy!!

Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins

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Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

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About Rose Atwater

Rose Atwater is the founder and cake decorator behind Rose Bakes. She is baker, cake decorator, author, wife to Richy and homeschooling mommy to 6 wonderful kiddos! Her work has been featured in American Cake Decorating Magazine, Cakes Decor, Pretty Witty Cakes Magazine, Huffington Post and Cake Geek Magazine. Learn more here...

Reader Interactions

Comments

Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
May 22, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Um, wow. Yum!
Reply
Winnie
May 24, 2012 at 1:57 am
DELICIOUS looking cupcakes!!
Such wonderful treat
Reply
Miz Helen
May 24, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Hi Rose,
These cupcakes are just awesome, I can't wait to try this recipe. I am dreaming of having one with my afternoon tea. Hope you have a great holiday week end and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Reply
See Also
Nigel Slater’s recipes for marinated mackerel, and for baked plums and brown butter demerara cakes Homemade Jalebi Recipe Sour Cream Coffe Cake Recipe with Streusel Topping | Baker Bettie Orange Soda & Chocolate Black Cat Cake, 1962 – Vintage Halloween Recipe Test - Mid-Century Menu
Michelle
May 30, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Rose, I'm now drooling on my keyboard! I'm a TOTAL caramel lover. I'll take it ANY day over chocolate 🙂
Thanks for sharing at Creative Thursday last week. I can't wait to see what you link up this week. Have a great day 🙂
Michelle
Reply
- Rose
  May 30, 2012 at 11:59 pm
  LOL!! That made my night!
  Reply
Michelle
May 31, 2012 at 2:18 am
You're being featured on Creative Thursday this week 🙂 Stop by and take a peek.
Michelle
Reply
Dana
December 05, 2012 at 11:05 pm
These look like Gigi's Caramel Sugar Mama Cupcakes. Yum. There's yellow cake mix in my pantry SCREAMING my name. Thanks for the recipe!
Reply
- Rose
  December 06, 2012 at 3:39 pm
  LOL!! Enjoy 🙂
  Reply
Ivy Bonhorst
January 19, 2013 at 9:47 am
Hey, can I ask which tip you use to make that frosting top to your cupcakes? Thank you from a beginner 🙂
Reply
- Rose
  January 21, 2013 at 9:12 pm
  I used the largest round tip from this Ateco Large Tube Set on Amazon!
  Reply
Erin
August 04, 2013 at 7:07 pm
Just whipping these up for my daughter's 13th birthday tomorrow. The caramel sauce is heavenly and received two thumbs up from the birthday girl 🙂 Can't wait to try the finished product!
Reply
- Rose
  August 29, 2013 at 10:15 pm
  I hope they turned out great for you 🙂
  Reply
- Nadia Núñez
  May 25, 2018 at 6:42 pm
  How much tine ahead can this be made, before the filling is absorbed?
  Reply
Jenna
December 22, 2013 at 3:53 pm
Can I make these the day ahead? Will the filling remain a filling or absorb into the cupcakes?
Reply
- Rose
  December 22, 2013 at 7:42 pm
  Honestly, I've never made them a day ahead so I'm not sure. At the very least you could bake them ahead and make the frosting ahead, then "assemble" them the day you need them.
  Reply
Paula Reppond
See Also
Homemade Jalebi Recipe
January 28, 2014 at 7:48 am
My favorite and easiest caramel recipe is using sweetened condensed milk still in can and boil it for 3 hours. Just make sure the can is covered with water the entire time add water as needed. Then allow it to cool COMPLETELY before opening the can. SO GOOD!
Reply
- Rose
  January 28, 2014 at 11:25 am
  I really need to try this - thanks!
  Reply
Smily @ Cupcake Happy Hour
February 08, 2014 at 5:47 pm
So simple and yet so awesome. Look so delicious, have to trz this recipe. Thanks for sharing and have a nice weekend.
Reply
Stacey Schafer
March 31, 2014 at 3:10 pm
so happy to have found your recipe on pinterest! my (going to be) 12 year old son asked for caramel filled cupcakes for his birthday tomorrow:) off to the grocery for the ingredients...may have to use the jarred caramel sauce:)
Reply
- Rose
  March 31, 2014 at 4:40 pm
  🙂 No shame in that - I've done it many times!! Happy Birthday to your son!
  Reply
Paula
May 14, 2014 at 11:43 pm
A friend of mine is having a party this Friday. I'm planning to make these for her tomorrow (Thursday) to assemble on Friday. I'll make the cupcakes and the frosting a day ahead. I'll refrigerate the frosting and rewhip it, as needed, before piping onto the cupcakes. Just wondering . . . does the caramel sauce keep well? Can it be made a day ahead? If so, should I refrigerate it?
I appreciate your reply!
Reply
- Rose
  May 15, 2014 at 12:10 pm
  Yes, you can make it a day ahead and I'd probably stick it in the frig just to be on the safe side. You could set it out a little while before you're ready to use it so it wouldn't be so thick! Good luck!
  Reply
Peita
June 08, 2014 at 8:51 pm
How much (weight/grams) of butter is there?
Reply
- Rose
  June 10, 2014 at 1:14 pm
  1 stick = 113.5g
  Reply
Sherri
February 12, 2015 at 2:50 pm
My cupcakes fell in the center after they cooled. I'm really disappointed! I know I can still pretty them up with the whipped topping but they looked so beautiful when they came out and now they are flat.... 🙁
Reply
- Rose
  February 12, 2015 at 9:37 pm
  🙁 It sounds like they didn't cook long enough.
  Reply
Nina
September 06, 2016 at 11:57 am
Amazing cupcakes. My frosting aleays comes out different every time. It's usually not firm and I havr to refrigerate it. If I add sugar it will br yo dweet. What am I doing wrong? Overall great cupcake.
Reply
- Rose
  September 07, 2016 at 1:40 am
  Eeek, I'm not sure. 🙁
  Reply
Cindy Anderson
November 06, 2017 at 12:08 pm
Hi Rose, I am trying to find a caramel recipe that is a bit firmer, one that won't run out of the cupcake like a pudding consistenconsistency maybe? Do you know of something? Thank you, Cindy.
Reply
- Rose
  November 06, 2017 at 1:09 pm
  I recently shared a caramel recipe that will be really fluid if warm, but also gets really firm when cooled. You'll find it here: Easy Caramel Sauce.
  Reply
Leigh
February 03, 2018 at 9:54 am
Hey Rose I live right down the highway from you in Natchez. One of our sandwich shops sells delicious cupcakes with candy bar centers. One if our favorite is one with snicker in the center and it has a caramel frosting. Do you think substituting the caramel center for a bite size snicker would work? I looked online at several websites and yours seemed to be the best! Let me know what you think!
Thanks!
Leigh saunders.
PS you made my wedding cake a few years ago. It was great!!
Reply
- Rose
  February 04, 2018 at 11:03 am
  Hi Leigh! We're in Natchez all the time... probably 75% of my clients are there along with our doctors/dentists, etc. I do think you could pop a candy bar in there and it would be delish!
  Reply
Joan
August 05, 2018 at 11:23 pm
Rose can these cupcakes be frozen and stored prior to filling?
Reply
- Rose
  August 07, 2018 at 12:55 pm
  I never freeze cupcakes for fear of them drying out, but you could certainly do a trial run and see how they hold up.
  Reply
Rachael
March 08, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Hi!! Love you. 😉 I’m about to make this - in a RUSH. Wish I found this perfect recipe sooner ... because I am totally stumped.
Do I use the new box of cake mix (15.25oz.)?
Or ... do I kick it up - by using the total of the new box PLUS adding a few extra ounces from a second box to cause the mix to equal the old box amout (18.whatever oz.)??
I’m .... stuck. Urgh. And — in a big hurry. Jeeezzz, Rose, what to do... ‍♀️‍♀️
Maybe you’ll see this in the next 10 minutes hahaha.
Thanks! You keep doing what you do, girl!! I’m at your site regularly.
Rachael
Reply
- Susan
  March 08, 2019 at 1:24 pm
  Hi Rachael! Rose adds 3 oz of cake mix or 1/2 cup of AP flour to the cake mixes sold today! Hope they turn out great!
  Reply
Rachael
March 13, 2019 at 6:06 pm
Oh Rose.
Total. Fail.
I had written to ask about adding the extra amount to equal the older style box mixes, but saw the response too late unfortunately. That said, I cannot imagine the lack of 3oz. would have caused the following......
I wish I could post photos.
Basically, my daughter and I decided- the best way to describe the cupcakes was like bunches of 95 year old women’s breasts, who had all breastfed at least five children each. Back in their day. They also never believed bras were necessary. Yeeeaahhhh. Deflated. Flat. With odd, round, “lumps” in center? And the sponge? Soooo odd.
I have no idea?? Lol I usually have a lot of luck with your recipes.
I guess it’s that old adage that WASC cakes don’t translate to cupcakes?? No matter what you try? But you had good luck. Ack! I’m befuddled.
All that said, I was making Twix themed cupcakes, thus with TONS of bells and whistles. Everyone loved them, hahaha. I guess the sponge got lost in the background. Thank goodness for perfect liners, fillings, icings, and copious decorations, right??
Rachael
Reply
Patty Bly
November 24, 2020 at 10:31 pm
My frosting is still a bit running and not fluffy. I’ve added more cream but still not getting the effect like in your pictures.
Reply