Chocolate Cupcakes with Whiskey Caramel Filling
These super moist, delicious cupcakes are the easy breezy solution to your next cakey, chocolatey, cocktail-y craving.
Equipment
- 1-2 Jumbo Muffin Tins
- Jumbo Muffin Liners
- Electric Mixer
- Small Knife
- Piping Bags (Optional)
- Frosting Tip (Optional) I used Ateco tip #827
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder I used Hershey's
- 1 cup "real" mayonnaise I used Hellmann's with Olive Oil - DO NOT use Miracle Whip
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Whiskey Caramel Filling
- 1 13.4oz can La Lechera Cajeta See Notes
- 2 Tbsp - ¼ cup Whiskey (or Bourbon) of your choice Start with 1-2 Tablespoons and give it a taste. You can always add more.
For the Frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decoration
- Chocolate Jimmies (Sprinkles) optional
Instructions
For the Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Line 1-2 jumbo muffin tins with baking wrappers. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, sugar, salt and cocoa).
- Add mayonnaise, hot water, and vanilla and mix with a wooden spoon or electric mixer until thoroughly combined. Do not overmix.
- Evenly fill each muffin tin about ⅔ of the way full, or use a #10 disher (3.25oz).
- Bake cupcakes for 28-30min, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow cupcakes to cool for about 5min in the muffin tin before removing to a wire rack to cool completely (about 30min).
For the Whiskey Caramel Filling
- Empty the entire can of cajeta into a medium mixing bowl. Add 2 Tablespoons of whiskey (or bourbon). Mix with an electric mixer until smooth (about 2min).
- Taste. If more whiskey is desired, add more by the Tablespoon and mix until smooth.
- Set aside until ready to use.
For the Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, vanilla and salt.
- Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until well combined (about 2min).
- Once all ingredients are combined, mix on high speed for 1-2 minutes until the frosting is smooth a slightly fluffy.
- Set aside until ready to use.
For Assembly
- Using a small paring knife, remove a small cone-shaped piece of cake from the center of each cupcake. Do NOT fully core the cupcake and remove all the way down to the wrapper - aim for the bottom of the hole you cut to be about halfway through the cupcake. Reserve the bits you cut out - you'll need these later.
- Using a spoon or a piping bag, fill each cupcake with caramel mixture. Do NOT completely fill each cupcake or the caramel may run/ooze when you add frosting. This could lead to the frosting sliding off the top.
- After filling each cupcake, pick up the piece of cake you cut out, squish it down a little to flatten it, and place it on top of the caramel filling.
- Frost cupcakes as desired.I used a piping bag and Ateco tip #287. Feel free to use whatever piping tip/technique you prefer, or use a palate knife and swirl the frosting on.
- Top cupcakes with chocolate jimmies (sprinkles), if desired.
Notes
If you cannot find La Lechera Cajeta, try using a different thick caramel topping, or try cooking a can of condensed milk. I have linked instructions to this under "Key Ingredients" near the beginning of this post.
Don't have a jumbo muffin tin? Use a standard muffin tin instead. Bake at the same temperature for about 20-22min. Yield: 20 standard cupcakes.
Cupcakes will last 3-4 days in a ziptop bag or airtight container, at room temperature. Refrigerate if desired (cold cake is honestly my favorite).
The filling will start to absorb into the cake over time, so the bottoms of the cupcakes may become a little soft after a couple of days.
Don't want to use booze? No problem. Skip it. The cajeta will be just as delicious a filling without the whiskey! Use the cajeta straight from the can, no need to beat it with a mixer.