Chocolate Salted-Caramel Mini Cupcakes

This recipe is from the Martha Stewart cupcake book. My mom got me this book a year ago and that's how long it took me to finally choose what cupcake I wanted to make first. I would pickup this book once a month and then could never decide what to make because there are just so many beautiful cupcakes to choose from. These cupcakes do take some time to make, but they are worth the extra steps.

Salted Caramel Filling

Makes 2 cups
2 1/2 c sugar
2/3 c water
1 tbsp light corn syrup
3/4 c heavy cream
2 1/2 tsp sea salt

Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Stop stirring, and cook until syrup comes to a boil. Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and just reaches 360 degrees F. Remove from heat; slowly pour in cream(mixture will spatter) and stir with wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt. Use immediately; if at any time caramel begins to harden, reheat gently until pourable.

Dark Chocolate Frosting
1/2 c plus 1 tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 c plus 1 tbsp boiling water
21/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 pounds best-quality semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Combine cocoa and the boiling water, stirring until cocoa has dissolved. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter, confectioners sugar, and salt until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add melted and cooled chocolate, beating until combined. Beat in the cocoa mixture.

Cupcakes:
Makes about 56 mini
1 1/2c all-purpose flour
3/4 c unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 c buttermilk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 c warm water

Sea salt, preferably fleur de sel, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350. Line mini muffin tins with paper liners. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and the water.With a electric mixer on low speed, beat until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Transfer tins to wire rack to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.

To finish, use paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece(about 1/2 inch deep) from the center of each cupcake(discard pieces). Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons warm filling into each hollowed-out cupcakes. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over filling.

Fill pastry bag fitted with a medium open star tip(Wilton#18) with frosting and pipe onto each cupcake. Garnish each cupcake with a pinch of sea salt.