I wanted a unique new cupcake recipe for a recent party, so I took inspiration from some of my favorite sweets. I love the classic Millionaire's Shortbread with its caramel, chocolate, and salt touches, so why not transform all of that goodness into cake form? And thus, my Millionaire's Shortbread cupcake recipe was born.

Step 1: Make the shortbread base

Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on your cake mix. Then get started with a shortbread dough by mixing 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 3/4 cup of butter in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy.

Add 3/4 tsp vanilla extract and salt and mix well. Then add the flour. Mix the dough well until it pulls together and forms large clumps. It will look too dry at first, but resist the temptation to add any liquid. Just let it keep mixing and it will come together after a minute or two.

Divide the dough evenly among 24 cupcake liners. (If you only have one muffin tin and can only bake 12 at a time, go ahead and set the other 12 liners on the counter and divide the dough, so you don't end up short at the end.)

Use your fingers to press the dough firmly into place in the bottom of the cupcake liner. If the dough is very sticky, dust your fingers with powdered sugar to make it easier on you. You should have about a half inch of dough in each cupcake.

Step 2: Mix and bake the cake batter

Follow the directions on the back of your yellow cake mix to prepare the batter using the ingredients indicated (usually water, eggs, and oil).

Pour the cake batter into the liners, on top of the unbaked shortbread crust.

Bake the cupcakes according to the cake mix package directions.

Step 3: Make the caramel filling and fill the cupcakes

While your cupcakes are cooking and cooling, make the caramel filling. Combine the condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Allow it to cook on medium and do NOT turn up the heat, or it might burn.

Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to stir 10-15 minutes until mixture turns a caramel color and has thickened.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and salt.

Make a small hole in the center of your cooled cupcakes, using a cupcake corer, apple corer, or small paring knife.

Spoon some of the caramel mixture into the hole, filling it completely. Set the cupcakes aside to cool thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

Step 4: Make chocolate ganache and cover cupcakes

While the caramel filling cools in the cupcakes, make the chocolate ganache. Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir just until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Allow the ganache to cool for about five minutes to thicken a little, then spread a thin layer on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle with sea salt before the ganache has a chance to set.

Step 5: Whip up chocolate buttercream and frost the cupcakes

To make the chocolate buttercream frosting, first beat the butter in a stand mixer on high until it's light and fluffy. Then add the powdered sugar and beat until well combined. Add the cocoa powder, milk, and salt and beat until well combined. If the frosting is too thick to pipe, add a small amount of milk to achieve the right consistency.

Put the buttercream into a bag with a large star tip and pipe it on top of the cooled ganache.

To garnish the cupcakes, optionally stick a half of a pre-baked shortbread cookie into the frosting.

Yield: 24 cupcakes

Millionaire's Shortbread Cupcakes

Print

Get that rich, classic taste of Millionaire's Shortbread in a cupcake form.

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 1 cup (226g) butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (70g) white sugar
• 1/3 cup (70g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2-1/4 cups (260g) all-purpose flour

Caramel Filling

• two 14oz (792g) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 14 tbsp (198g) butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup (80ml) light corn syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chocolate Ganache

• 2 cups (340g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• sea salt

Yellow Cake

• boxed yellow cake mix
• ingredients listed on cake mix directions

Instructions

SHORTBREAD CRUST

1. Beat butter with electric mixer until creamy. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
3. Add flour about 1/2 cup at a time and then salt. Beat until it just comes together, scraping the bowl as you go. Do not over-beat.
4. Press small amounts of shortbread into 24 cupcake liners.

YELLOW CAKE

1. Preheat oven to temperature indicated on the cake mix box.
2. Make cake batter according to package directions.
3. Pour cake batter evenly over shortbread crusts.
4. Bake according to package directions.

CARAMEL

1. Combine condensed milk, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until butter is melted and ingredients are combined. Continue to stir over medium heat until mixture boils. DO NOT increase temperature.
3. Reduce mixture to a simmer and stir an additional 10-15 minutes until it turns a rich caramel color and has thickened.
4. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and salt.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1. Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM

1. Beat the butter in a bowl until creamy, then slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
2. Scrape down bowl and add cocoa powder, milk, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat to combine.
3. Slowly add additional milk until frosting reaches a good consistency for piping.

ASSEMBLE THE CUPCAKES

1. Cut a small hole from the center of the cooled cupcakes.
2. Fill hole with caramel.
3. Spread chocolate ganache over cupcakes, then sprinkle with sea salt before ganache has a chance to cool.
4. Allow ganache to thoroughly cool.
5. Pipe on the buttercream frosting.