1-Getting started with salted caramel cupcakes begins with preheating your oven and gathering your tools. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your cupcake pans with liners to make things easy. Having everything at room temperature ensures the batter comes together without lumps, leading to fluffy results.

2-First Steps: Preheat and Mix Dry Ingredients In a bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. This step sets the base for your cupcakes and helps them rise just right. Avoid overmixing later to keep the texture tender.

3-Cream the Butter and Add Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream 1 stick butter at room temperature with 1 3/4 cups sugar until it’s light and fluffy this usually takes a few minutes with a mixer. Add 2 large eggs at room temperature one at a time, beating well after each, then stir in 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla for that extra flavor boost.

4-Combine and Bake: Alternate adding the flour mixture and 1 1/4 cups whole milk at room temperature to the butter mix, starting and ending with the flour to keep it balanced. Fill the liners about three-quarters full and bake for around 20 minutes until the tops spring back. Let them cool before coring and filling with caramel sauce.

5-Frosting the Cupcakes: For the frosting, heat 6 egg whites, 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt over a double boiler until the mixture hits 160 degrees Fahrenheit, whisking constantly. Whip it in a stand mixer until stiff peaks form, then add 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter gradually until smooth. Mix in 3/4 cup caramel sauce and spread or pipe onto your cooled cupcakes, drizzling extra caramel and sprinkling sea salt on top. Baking time is about 20 minutes per batch, with frosting taking around 10 minutes plus cooling.