Texas Chocolate Cupcakes

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min. + cooling

Makes

2 dozen

Updated: Oct. 22, 2022
My husband remembers his mother making "little black cupcakes with caramel icing." I never thought about putting caramel icing on chocolate cupcakes, but boy, was I wrong. His mother passed down this recipe to me. It's to die for! —Cathy Bodkins, Dayton, Virginia

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • CARAMEL ICING:
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, cubed
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 to 2-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda. In a large saucepan over medium heat, bring the cocoa, water, oil and butter to a boil. Gradually add to dry ingredients and mix well. Combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; gradually add to batter and mix well (batter will be very thin).
  2. Fill 24 paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. For icing, in a heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and milk. Cook and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium. Do not stir. Cook for 3-6 minutes or until bubbles form in center of mixture and syrup turns amber. Remove from the heat; transfer to a small bowl. Cool to room temperature. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes.

Nutrition Facts

1 cupcake: 335 calories, 17g fat (6g saturated fat), 39mg cholesterol, 216mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (35g sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.