• Cupcake instructions
• This can be done with a stand mixer or by hand with a hand mixer or whisk but it is more of a 2 bowl method than one if going the hand mixing route
• Preheat oven to 350F with rack in the center.
• Place paper baking cups in regular sized muffin tins, spray edges around
• cups lightly with cooking spray. If you have a small 6 cup muffin tin and you only get 27 or 28 cupcakes fill the rest of the wells halfway with water and no baking cup
• Whisk together the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt) in a large bowl.
• In a large bowl or bowl of stand mixer whisk eggs till slightly thickened and a pale color
• Add in the milk, vanilla, oil and vinegar and whisk/beat well
• Add in the melted and cooled chocolate and whisk/beat until combined well
• Either add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients OR the wet into the flour and mix just to combine. Add in the boiling water and mix again just to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure all the dry ingredients are incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and free of crumbs or the cupcake tops bounce back when lightly pressed. Mine baked for 16 minutes.
• Let cool for 5 min in pans and then remove carefully to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting
• !Buttercream instructions

!For the Caramel:

• Add the sugar to a small saucepan and pour the water over it. With the heat on low, swirl the pan around until the sugar has nearly dissolved. Be careful not to let it boil — if it starts getting too hot, remove it from the burner for a few seconds, continuing to swirl.
• Once the sugar has mostly dissolved, raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover it immediately and leave on boil for 2 minutes.
• Uncover and continue swirling the mixture until it becomes dark amber. (Be careful — you want it to be dark, but it can go from dark to burning in seconds.) Take it off the heat immediately.
• Slowly pour in the cream, stirring with a whisk. Again, be careful as the caramel will start splattering, and will splatter even more if you add the cream too fast. Whisk until combined and set aside.

For the Buttercream:

• Combine the sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar in the stainless steel bowl of an electric stand mixer. Bring a large pan of water to simmer, Set the bowl in the pan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Be really careful not to curdle the egg whites– simply remove the bowl from the heat for a bit if it feels like that’s happening. Also, you’ll know when it’s getting close to 160 degrees; the mixture will get foamy and be slippery to the touch.
• Remove the bowl to your stand mixer and beat on high speed for 5-7 minutes, until the mixture holds glossy peaks and the bowl is cool to the touch. Lower the speed to medium and add in the butter one tablespoon at a time until all is added in. It may look soupy and or curdled at this point but don’t worry, just raise the speed until it comes together. Add in the caramel sauce and mix well. Taste and add a little more sea salt if desired.