Salted Caramel-Chocolate Cupcakes

From Southern Living. Recipe is for mini cupcakes. Directions for regular sized cupcake is at the bottom of the directions.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 72
• Yields: 72 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 0.5 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 3⁄4 cup  firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 4  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 8  ounces  chopped  semisweet chocolate
• 1⁄4 cup  whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons  whipping cream

• Salted Caramel Buttercream

• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar
• 3  tablespoons milk
• 15  caramels
• 1  tablespoon milk

• Garnishes

•  sea salt flakes and  caramel, cut into quarters

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beating until blended. Spoon batter by rounded tablespoonfuls into lightly greased miniature muffin pans.
3. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 5 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 30 minutes).
4. Microwave semisweet chocolate and 1/4 cup whipping cream in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in 2 tablespoons whipping cream until smooth. Dip tops of cupcakes in chocolate mixture, and let stand until chocolate is set (about 30 minutes). Pipe or spread Salted Caramel Buttercream onto cupcakes. Garnish, if desired.
5. Salted Caramel Buttercream:.
6. Beat first 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
7. Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with 3 tablespoons milk, beating at low speed until blended and smooth after each addition.
8. Melt caramels with 1 tablespoons milk in a small microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Fold caramel mixture into buttercream, creating swirls. (Do not completely blend.).
9. Note: To prepare regular-size cupcakes, spoon batter into 2 lightly greased 12-cup muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 350º for 22 to 24 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool and decorate as desired. Makes 2 dozen.