Salted-Caramel Filled Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

These turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. The cupcakes are dense, with a nice caramel filling and topped with a fluffy chocolate buttercream frosting. I have to give kudos to my lovely wife for helping completely doing the decorations.


Ingredients

Cupcakes
3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
3/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Salted-Caramel

Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted and let cooled a little


Directions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pan with liners.
2. In a medium bowl, sift cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until it is fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beating well. Mix in the vanilla. 
3. On low speed, add the dry mix in three batches, alternating with sour cream in two batches.
4. Mix until just combined with no clumps, but be careful to not over beat.
5. Fill the cupcake pan 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, until a fork poked in the middle comes out clean.
6. Let cool for a few minutes before moving to a wire rack to fully cool.
7. After the cupcakes have cooled, using a melon baller, core out the center of the cupcakes and spoon in the salted-caramel into the center. Don't worry if this doesn't look that great, the frosting will cover up any visible blemishes.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. Using a whisk or a mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scrape the sides a couple of times during this.
2. On low, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all the sugar is mixed in, increase the speed to medium and add in the vanilla until well mixed.
3. Stop the mixer for a moment, and add the chocolate into the frosting. Whip on medium-high until fluffy, about 3 minutes. The frosting can be stored for about 5 days before it becomes questionable.