Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes – Delicious coffee sponge with a hidden caramel centre, topped with whipped vanilla cream and drizzled with a bit more caramel.
When I make cupcakes I like to take my flavour inspiration from cakes, desserts or other delicious sweet things.
My inspiration for today’s cupcakes is a classic Starbucks drink – A Caramel Macchiato. It combines a delicious coffee sponge, with a hidden caramel centre, topped with whipped vanilla cream and drizzled with a bit more caramel.
I make my own caramel sauce using this recipe. However, if you’re in a hurry it also works well with ready-made (I have made them using Starbucks caramel drizzle sauce). To make life a bit easier, I’ve repeated the instructions for the caramel sauce in this recipe. However, if you’ve not made it before then I really recommend you take a look at the full post as there’s lot more details and extra tips to ensure that it turns out perfectly.
FREE GRAMS TO CUPS CONVERSION CHARTS
Subscribe to the Charlotte's Lively Kitchen mailing list to get your FREE printable grams to cups and cups to grams conversion charts for twelve popular baking ingredients
Caramel Macchiato Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
For the coffee cupcakes
- 2 tsp instant coffee granules
- 2 tsp warm water
- 100 g softened butter
- 100 g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 100 g self-raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
Extras
- 8 cupcake cases
For the vanilla cream
- 120 ml whipping cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the caramel sauce
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 30 g butter
- 60 ml single cream - or 30ml double cream and 30ml full fat milk
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the coffee cupcakes
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan.
- Place the cupcakes cases into the muffin tin.
- Put the coffee (2 tsp of instant coffee granules) into a large bowl and add 2 tsp of warm water. Stir until the coffee has dissolved.
- Add the other cake ingredients to the bowl (100g softened butter, 100g caster sugar, 2 medium eggs, 100g self-raising flour and ½ tsp baking powder) and beat for a couple of minutes until the ingredients are fully combined.
- Evenly distribute the cake mix into the 8 cupcakes cases (if you're trying to get them even it'll be about 50g of mixture in each case).
- Cook in the oven for 18 minutes.
- After 18 minutes use a skewer to check if they're cooked (insert the skewer into the cupcake, if it comes out clean they're done, if not then pop them back in for a couple more minutes).
- Remove the cupcakes from the tin and place on a wire rack to cool.
While the cupcakes are cooking, make the caramel sauce (this can be made up to two weeks in advance and stored in a sterilised container in the fridge).
- Measure out all of your ingredients into separate bowls (100g granulated sugar, 30g butter, 60ml single cream). Cut the butter into small cubes (this'll help you to incorporate it into the sauce quickly).
- Put the sugar into a large saucepan spread evenly across the bottom and place onto a medium heat.
- Gently move the sugar about the pan with the spatula until it has all melted.
- Once the sugar has melted continue to stir gently with the spatula until it has turned a light brown colour.
- As soon as the caramel is light brown, carefully add the butter and whisk rapid until the butter has melted and is combined - CAUTION when you add the butter and cream the sauce will bubble up and may spatter.
- Turn off the heat and add the cream, again whisking rapidly until combined.
- If there are any small sugar crystals, pass the sauce through a metal sieve to remove them.
- Put into a bowl or jug and refrigerate to cool.
Once the cakes and sauce have cooled, make the vanilla cream.
- Put the cream (120ml) and vanilla extract into a bowl and beat until the cream is stiff - you should see the whisk leaving a clear trail in the cream.
Make the cupcakes
- Use a sharp knife to cut a circle in the top of each cupcake and carefully scoop out the centre with a teaspoon.
- Add 1 tsp of caramel sauce into the centre of each cupcake.
- Top each cupcake with whipping cream.
- Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the top of each cupcake.
NOTES
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Any nutritional information provided is the estimated nutritional information per serving. Please refer to my guide to Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen nutritional information if you would like to learn more about how this is calculated.
Jess says
Hi there! These look amazing and I really want to try the recipe out but i dont have electric scales! Dont suppose you would know the measurements? Love your blog 🙂
Charlotte Oates says
Hi Jess. Can you be a bit more specific, what measuring equipment do you have?
Fionnuala says
These look really scrummy and would definitely go down well in our house. We’ve just polished off a batch of chocolate caramel shortbread. My middle son is a big fan of whipped cream, so he will love these.
Gorgeous photos too!
Charlotte Oates says
They’re still my favourite cupcakes. I definitely recommend you try them sometime!
Toni @ Gym Bunny Mummy says
These look & sound amazing! I love flavoured cupcakes, I make a mean chocochino one with coffee & cocoa but I’m definitely going to try your recipe out. Thanks for linking up to #SundaySweets
Charlotte Oates says
Ooh I love the sound of a chocochino cupcake, is the recipe on your blog? (if not then it should be!!).
Mel says
Oh wow, these look stunning my lovely. Your food photography is incredible. No wonder the blog is really taking off! x
Charlotte Oates says
Aww thank you. Just for once the light seemed to fall in just the right way. I had photos I was happy with within minutes rather than snapping away for an hour or so trying to get the lighting right.
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Craving a couple of these cupcakes right now.. all that delicious caramel center is making me drool here!
Charlotte Oates says
Thanks Thalia. I’ve been enjoying polishing them off