Chocolate Cupcakes (Cake Mix) with Salted Caramel Frosting

A shortcut chocolate cupcake recipe topped with creamy salted caramel frosting.

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 1 (15.25 ounce) box Devil’s Food or Chocolate Cake Mix (the dry mix)
• 1 (3.9 ounce) box Jell-O Chocolate Fudge instant pudding mix
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (120ml) milk
• 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream

Salted Caramel Frosting

• 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 equal pieces
• 1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar (pictured cupcakes use light brown)
• 5 Tablespoons heavy cream, divided*
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (240g) confectioners’ sugar
• optional: 20 mini pretzel twists and store-bought caramel topping or homemade salted caramel

Instructions

1. Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two 12-cup muffin pans with liners. Set aside.
2. Using a stand or handheld electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, milk and sour cream. Beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Scoop the batter evenly into cupcake liners.
3. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and cool completely in the pan.
4. Start the frosting: (This frosting is popular, so we have a separate salted caramel frosting post if you need more help making it.) Combine the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir constantly as the butter melts. Once butter has melted, switch to a whisk to make sure the two are really combined. (Otherwise, you might see an oily layer around the edges where they’re still a bit separated; you do not want that.) Once melted butter and brown sugar are combined, add 3 Tablespoons of heavy cream and the salt. Whisk to combine, then stop whisking and attach a candy thermometer to your pan, making sure the bulb is not touching the bottom of the pan. Let the caramel boil, giving it a quick whisk every 30 seconds or so, until the temperature reaches 230°F (110°C). On my stove, it takes just under 2 minutes.
5. Remove the saucepan from heat, give it another quick whisk, and let cool for a minute. Carefully transfer the salted caramel to a heat-proof mixing bowl set on a cooling rack and cool for just 15–20 minutes before continuing. The caramel sauce thickens during this time.
6. Finish the frosting: Sift in confectioners’ sugar and add remaining 2 Tablespoons of heavy cream. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat on medium-low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Turn mixer up to high speed and beat for 1 minute. Avoid over-mixing or the frosting will begin to “break” and separate. Let it sit for at least 20–30 minutes before filling your piping bag, to give it a chance to thicken up to a pipeable consistency.
7. Frost cooled cupcakes and garnish with a pretzel twist and salted caramel, if desired.
8. Cover and store leftover cupcakes at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.