Chocolate Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Buttercream

tablespoon milk
SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
1 cup 2 sticks or 226g unsalted butter room temperature4 cups 500g confectioners sugar sifted1 teaspoon salt½ cup caramel sauce1 tablespoon whole milk as needed
Instructions
CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. This recipe makes 1618 cupcakes so prepare one pan or maybe two with cupcake liners.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave. Microwave in 30second increments stirring in between each time. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment add the eggs sugar vanilla and sour cream and whisk on medium speed until smooth. about 1 minute
In a mediumsized bowl sift the cocoa powder flour baking soda baking powder and salt together until thoroughly combined.
Add the cooled butterchocolate to the stand mixer and whisk until smooth about 30 seconds.
Slowly add in the flour mixture about 14 cup at a time with the stand mixer on low.
As soon as you are done adding the flour turn the mixer off. You do not want to overmix!
The batter will be very thick.
Fill the cupcake liners 23 of the way full with batter. Bake for 1518 minutes. The center of the cupcake should spring back up if gently pressed.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 1015 minutes before adding buttercream.
CARAMEL SAUCE
Melt the caramels butter and milk in a microwavesafe glass or ceramic bowl in 30second intervals stirring after each melting. Set aside to use in the buttercream recipe as well as the caramel drizzle.
SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM
Combine the butter sugar salt and salted caramel sauce in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Start mixing on low speed until the sugar is incorporated with the butter. Increase the mixing speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy about 2 minutes.
Adjust the consistency with milk as needed.
Store unused buttercream in the refrigerator in an airtight container and bring it back to room temperature before using it to pipe or frost.
ASSEMBLE
Top each individual cupcake with buttercream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.