Let me introduce you to Samoa Cupcakes. They’re light and fluffy vanilla cupcakes, topped with salted caramel buttercream, a mixture of caramel sauce + coconut, and finished with a drizzle of chocolate ganache. I think I went into a dessert coma just reading that!
It’s girl scout season and who doesn’t think Samoa cookies are the best ones?? If you said no, well, I don’t even know what to say to you, haha! I wanted to capture the flavors of the cookie in dessert form, and cupcakes just seemed like a good way to do that. They are obviously a bit different than the cookies – cupcakes aren’t crunchy, and the cookies are – but all the flavor elements are there. Vanilla base, caramel, coconut, and chocolate!
Let’s Talk Cupcakes
Cupcake batter is simple to make – the main thing to note is that you don’t want to over mix your batter. This will lead to very dense cupcakes – not ones that have a fluffy crumb texture.
You DO want to mix your butter and sugar very well, though – this will ensure they’re creamed together nicely.
After you add the eggs, though, you want to be careful of over mixing. If there are a few small lumps in your batter after adding the eggs and greek yogurt, never fear – this is normal. Stop mixing once you can’t see the eggs or greek yogurt anymore – not once all the lumps are completely gone.
The batter will be semi thick – and there may be a few small lumps – as you can see in the photo above. They’re sweet, but not too sweet – and honestly, they’re a great base recipe for any flavor of frosting and toppings!
Grant helped me test the cupcakes and we devoured a few of them plain, if that says anything about how delicious the cupcakes are on their own. Make sure to fill your liners 2/3 full to get a nice rounded top.
Let’s Talk Salted Buttercream Frosting
But add that SALTED CARAMEL BUTTERCREAM and I’m drooling already. The buttercream is simple – butter, powdered sugar, milk, and some of my homemade caramel sauce. You can sub store-bought if you don’t have time to make the homemade one. The rest of the caramel will be reserved for the coconut caramel topping. One batch of my homemade caramel sauce is enough for both the frosting AND the topping. See? This whole situation is just meant to be.
I used this piping tip for the frosting and this tip for the chocolate ganache. Both those things are TOTALLY optional. To make the round mound (hah) of frosting on top of the cupcakes, hold your piping bag a little bit off the top of the cupcake, and gently squeeze, then move the tip down into the mound of frosting and continue squeezing – the frosting will form a mound and fill its way out to the edges of the cupcake. You can sort of manipulate the frosting to fill any bare edges, by moving the piping tip towards that spot.
Making the Coconut Caramel and Chocolate Ganache Toppings
Now, if you’re strapped for time, energy, or anything else you can use store bought caramel and chocolate fudge sauce. Or you can simply use melted chocolate.
I do have to say, though, that homemade caramel is surprisingly easy to make and it tastes HEAVENLY. Mix some caramel with shredded coconut and there’s topping number one! To make the ganache, mix hot heavy cream and chopped chocolate. Easy peasy.
I can’t even describe how scrumptious these are! Even Grant – who’s not a huge coconut fan – loves them. I think these will be making many appearances at holidays, picnics, and potlucks this spring and summer! Long after girl scout cookie season has ended, we can still enjoy our favorite Samoa cookies by making these Samoa Cupcakes!
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Samoa Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 and 3/4 cup cake flour see note
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 stick salted butter, softened 1/2 cup
- 1 cup granulated or cane sugar
- 3 egg whites
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup full-fat greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk I used 2%
For the Salted Caramel Frosting
- 15 tbsp butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 3 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tbsp caramel sauce
- 3 tbsp milk
For the Caramel Topping
- 1/2 cup homemade caramel sauce or store-bought
- 1 and 1/4 cups shredded coconut I used sweetened
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- Prep: Line a muffin/cupcake pan with paper liners. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make your caramel sauce - my recipe is linked here.
- Make the Cupcakes: In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with mixer until creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar and cream again until well combined, light and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add the egg whites and vanilla and mix until JUST combined. Over mixing will lead to super dense, non-fluffy cupcakes. Add greek yogurt and mix until just combined. Batter may have some lumps, but that's normal. Add half the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Add half the milk, and mix until just combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients, and milk.
- Bake: Fill muffin papers about 2/3 of the way full with batter. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Let cupcakes cool completely before frosting. (I let them cool in the pan until they won't burn my hands, then I remove them and let them sit on the counter to finish cooling.)
- Make the Frosting: Cream softened butter. Sift in the powdered sugar in two additions, and mix, alternating with the milk. Make sure the caramel sauce is in liquid form (if it's been sitting for a while or in the fridge, gently re-heat it on the stove or in the microwave until pourable). Add caramel and mix until well combined and creamy. If you're waiting to frost the cupcakes for a bit, cover the frosting and chill it in the fridge so it doesn't get too melty at room temp.
- Make the Toppings + Assemble: Add the chopped chocolate to a mixing bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a pot over low heat until hot but not boiling. Pour over the chocolate and stir until melted, then let sit 5-8 minutes. The ganache should be thick enough to drizzle and not run all over the place. You may have to let it set a bit longer to reach that consistency. Use the remaining caramel sauce to make the coconut topping. Stir together the liquid caramel and the coconut flakes. Frost the cupcakes however you desire! I used this piping tip. Add a spoonful of the caramel topping, then drizzle with ganache (I piped mine on with this tip, but that's totally optional!).
- Serve + Store: Enjoy immediately! Store leftover cupcakes in airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Make Ahead Tips: Cupcakes can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temp. Frosting can also be made a day ahead and stored, covered, in the fridge. Let it come back to room temp a bit before using. Caramel can be made up to a week ahead - store in airtight container in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
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