A favorite cake in our house is my high altitude tested recipe for German chocolate cake with a generous filling of ooey, gooey coconut pecan caramel frosting. What makes the frosting even more incredible is a little bourbon. The buttery flavor notes in the bourbon complement the caramel perfectly. These high altitude German chocolate cupcakes with bourbon caramel filling are similar to my layer cake, but in perfectly sized individual cupcakes. The centers of the cupcakes are filled with the caramel, then topped with a swirl of buttercream. I made two buttercreams, one vanilla and one chocolate, to see which I liked better with the chocolate cupcakes and coconut pecan caramel filling, but I couldn’t decide! These German chocolate cupcakes are seriously good.
You might also love these chocolate truffle salted caramel cupcakes, chocolate caramel toffee cake, and butter pecan fudge brownies.
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Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
1 recipe High Altitude Chocolate Cupcakes. This is my favorite recipe for fluffy, dark chocolate sour cream cupcakes that bake up so moist and light. This is a darker chocolate cake, rather than the mild chocolate cake that’s typically associated with German chocolate cupcakes.
Caramel Filling
The bourbon caramel filling is the most delicious filling/frosting ever, and I have to restrain myself from not just eating half of it with a spoon. It’s also very easy to make, starting by simply whisking together heavy whipping cream, dark brown sugar, egg yolks and melted butter. You’ll cook the mixture for a few minutes until it’s thick and bubbly, then stir in vanilla, bourbon, chopped pecans, shredded coconut and salt. It’s thick, sweet, crunchy, caramely and so gooey. I love this stuff.
Buttercream
For the buttercream, I decided to make both chocolate and vanilla buttercream, using my perfect American buttercream recipe. You can make both, or just choose your favorite! Both flavors of buttercream complemented the chocolate cupcakes and the caramel filling so wonderfully, and I really couldn’t decide which I liked best.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Prepare 1 recipe High Altitude Chocolate Cupcakes.
- Cool completely before filling and frosting.
Caramel Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, brown sugar and egg yolks until smooth. Cook over medium low heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, bourbon, pecans, coconut and salt. Cover and let cool at room temperature for several hours.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the salt, vanilla and milk, and whip on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Chocolate Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and meringue powder until combined. Add the salt, vanilla and milk, and whip on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Assembly
- To assemble, use a cupcake corer to remove the centers of each cupcake.
- Fit two piping bags with large star tips and fill with vanilla and chocolate buttercreams. Pipe a swirl of buttercream around the edge of the cupcakes.
- Spoon the caramel filling into the center.
- If you like, sprinkle the top of the cupcakes with toffee bits.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the cupcakes dark chocolate or mild chocolate?
My chocolate cupcake recipe is a dark chocolate cake, rather than the sweet, mild chocolate typically associated with German chocolate cake.
How many cupcakes does this recipe make?
It makes about 30 cupcakes. You can easily cut the recipe in half for fewer cupcakes.
If I only make one flavor of buttercream, should I double the ingredients?
Yes. I made both vanilla and chocolate buttercream, but if you decide to make just one flavor, you should double it to have enough to frost your cupcakes.
What is German chocolate frosting?
It’s a sweet caramel filling, which is thickened by boiling cream, sugar, butter and egg yolks until thick and bubbly. It always contains pecans and coconut, and is delicious with the addition of bourbon, vanilla extract and salt to balance the sweetness.
Can I leave the bourbon out of the caramel filling?
Of course, the bourbon is completely optional.
What piping tip did you use to pipe the buttercream?
Tip 1M.
What did you sprinkle on top of the cupcakes?
I sprinkled a few toffee bits on top of each cupcake.
Why do they call it German chocolate?
The name comes from Sam German who invented a style of sweet baking chocolate for the Baker’s chocolate company in 1852.
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High Altitude German Chocolate Bourbon Cupcakes
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 1 recipe High Altitude Chocolate Cupcakes
Caramel Filling
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp bourbon
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded or flaked coconut, either sweetened or natural/unsweetened
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ tbsp meringue powder
- ⅛ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk, if needed for consistency
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ cup Dutch-processed, unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tbsp meringue powder
- ⅛ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk, if needed for consistency
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Cool completely before filling and frosting.
Filling
- In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, brown sugar and egg yolks until smooth. Cook over medium low heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, vanilla, bourbon, pecans, coconut and salt. Cover and let cool at room temperature for several hours.
Vanilla Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar and meringue powder until combined. Add the salt, vanilla and milk, and whip on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Chocolate Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and meringue powder until combined. Add the salt, vanilla and milk, and whip on medium high until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Assembly
- To assemble, use a cupcake corer to remove the centers of each cupcake.
- Fit two piping bags with large star tips and fill with vanilla and chocolate buttercreams. Pipe a swirl of buttercream around the edge of the cupcakes.
- Spoon the caramel filling into the center.
- If you like, sprinkle the top of the cupcakes with toffee bits.
They are perfect!
They look so scrumptious! I will need to make these for my friends. 🙂
Is the filling supposed to be runny at all? I folded the instructions exactly and it still seems too runny to fill
It should be thick enough to not run down the sides, but if yours seems too thin, you can try simmering it for a few more minutes to thicken it, then be sure to chill it before filling your cake.