Chocolate Caramel Filled Cupcakes feature a rich chocolate cream cheese buttercream, a drizzle of dulce de leche, and a gooey caramel center—gourmet-style cupcakes you can make at home.
These cupcakes start with a Devil’s Food chocolate cake mix but are boosted into bakery quality by adding instant chocolate pudding mix and a few extra ingredients. The pudding mix keeps the crumb tender and soft, while milk and sour cream add flavor and lasting moisture. They are easy to assemble and make a spectacular finish for bake sales, parties, or an indulgent weeknight treat.
Chocolate and caramel are a natural pairing. These cupcakes combine a soft, chocolatey cake with a luscious dulce de leche filling and a silky chocolate cream cheese frosting, finished with an extra drizzle of caramel for a gourmet touch.
⭐️ Why These Chocolate Cupcakes Are the Best
- Instant chocolate pudding mix is added to make the crumb extra soft and tender.
- The cupcakes are stuffed with dulce de leche and drizzled on top for maximum caramel flavor.
- The homemade chocolate cream cheese buttercream is rich and smooth.
- Using milk instead of water in the cake mix adds richness and improves texture.
🧁 Key Ingredients
- Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake Mix — any quality brand or triple-fudge mix will work.
- Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix — instant, not cook-and-serve.
- Milk — whole or 2% milk gives the best flavor and texture.
- Sour Cream — adds moisture and tenderness.
- Neutral oil — vegetable, canola, or similar.
- Dulce de Leche — homemade or canned, thick caramel for filling and drizzle.
- Cream Cheese — full-fat for best flavor and texture in the frosting.
- Butter — salted butter gives great flavor in the frosting.
✏️ Substitutions
- Swap oil for an equal amount of melted unsalted butter for a richer flavor.
- Replace sour cream with plain yogurt or plain Greek yogurt if needed.
- Use almond or oat milk as a dairy-free option, though flavor will vary slightly.
🆒 Variations
- Top with crushed toffee or Heath Bar pieces for added crunch.
- Add chopped nuts on top or inside for texture.
- Sprinkle flaky or crystal sea salt over the caramel for a salted-caramel twist.
🧑🍳 Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two muffin tins to make 24 cupcakes.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, instant chocolate pudding mix, eggs, milk, vanilla, oil, and sour cream. Mix on medium speed for about 1 minute until just combined.
Step 3: Scoop batter into liners, filling each about two-thirds full.
Step 4: Bake for 16–18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Step 5: Fill each cupcake with about 2 teaspoons of dulce de leche using a filling tip or a piping bag.
Step 6: For the frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder and mix on low until smooth. Pipe onto cupcakes with a star tip or spread generously.
Step 7: You can enjoy them now, or take them to the next level:
Step 8: Drizzle with extra dulce de leche and optionally top with chocolate sprinkles, crushed toffee, or a pinch of sea salt for a gourmet finish.
📌 Top Tips
- Use a cookie scoop to portion batter evenly and reduce mess.
- Cool cupcakes completely before filling and frosting to prevent melting.
- Fill cupcakes with a piping bag and a filling tip for neat results; a sturdy zip bag with a corner cut works in a pinch.
- Store frosted cupcakes refrigerated and bring to room temperature before serving for best texture and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If baked in mini tins, bake at 350°F and start checking around 10–12 minutes; timing will vary by oven and tin size.
Yes. Make and fill the cupcakes, then freeze them unfrosted in airtight containers. Freeze frosting separately. Thaw overnight and frost just before serving.
Adding instant chocolate pudding, using milk instead of water, and including sour cream all help keep the cupcakes moist and flavorful.
Not if they are cooled properly and the filling is thick. Avoid filling warm cupcakes or using overly runny caramel.
Refrigerate assembled cupcakes and consume within 3–5 days for best quality.
These chocolate dulce de leche cupcakes are a show-stopping dessert that’s beloved for good reason: tender cake, a caramel surprise, and a dreamy frosting.
📝 Printable Recipe
Chocolate Caramel Filled Cupcakes
Author: Sara Syphus Smith
Chocolate cupcakes filled with dulce de leche, topped with a chocolate cream cheese buttercream and a caramel drizzle.
Yield:
24 cupcakes
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Cook Time:
16–18 minutes
Total Time:
About 48 minutes
Calories:
Approximately 270 kcal per cupcake
Equipment:
- Piping bag (or zip-top bag)
- Filling tip or small round tip for filling
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 box Devil’s Food chocolate cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 1 box instant chocolate pudding mix (3.9 oz)
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
Frosting:
- 6 oz cream cheese, cold
- 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup cocoa powder
Filling:
- About 20 oz dulce de leche or thick caramel
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line two muffin tins for 24 cupcakes.
- Combine cake mix, instant pudding mix, eggs, milk, vanilla, oil, and sour cream. Mix on medium for 1 minute.
- Fill liners two-thirds full and bake 16–18 minutes. Cool completely.
- To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla, powdered sugar, and cocoa; mix until smooth.
- Fill cupcakes with about 2 tsp dulce de leche, then pipe or spread frosting on top.
- Drizzle additional dulce de leche and sprinkle toffee bits or sea salt if desired.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 12 g
- Sugar: 31 g
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