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Salted Caramel Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Making Marshmallow Fluff20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Servings: 27 cupcakes
Author: the town tarte

Ingredients

For the Cupcakes

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt divided
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 6 tbsp butter unsalted
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Marshmallow Frosting

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the Cupcakes

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Set aside. 
    Make a caramel sauce. Stir together the granulated sugar, and water in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Bring to medium and stir until the sugar is dissolved then stop stirring. Continue to simmer the sugar until it reaches a deep amber color. This will take a few minutes. There is no need for a thermometer, just keep an eye on it. If sugar begins to crystalilize on the pan, use a wet pastry brush to brush them down. Once the caramel is a deep amber, remove it from the heat and immediately pour in the cream and start whisking. It will bubble up for a moment and the sugar will momentarily clump up, but as the cream heats up it will smooth out. Once the cream is incorporated, add the butter, vanilla and remaining salt. Continue to stir until the caramel is smooth. If there are any remaining clumps of sugar that just wont dissolve, just strain them out through a fine strainer. Pour the caramel into a separate mixing bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes.
    Whisk brown sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla into the cooled caramel until smooth.
    Pour the caramel mixture into the flour mixture and whisk a few minutes until smooth with no lumps. Pour the batter into cup cake pans lined with paper cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes. Allow to cool before topping with marshmallow frosting.

Make Marshmallow Frosting

  • Place the eggwhites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until it reaches soft peaks. If it reaches soft peaks before the sugar syrup is ready, turn the mixer off. 
    In a small saucepan stir together the sugar, water and corn syrup. Turn on to medium-high heat and simmer until the syrup reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. At exactly 240 degrees, turn off the heat and with the mixer running on medium, slowly drizzle the hot syrup into the eggwhites. Once all the syrup is in, turn the speed up to high and whisk for 8 minutes then add the vanilla and a pinch of salt and whisk a moment more to incorporate. 
    Spoon the frosting into a piping bag and pipe with a tip of your choice and pipe swirls of frosting onto each cup cake. Use a blow torch to carefully toast the marshmallow.