Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes

I found a recipe online for Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcakes, which sounded perfect to bring to my potluck at work. However, the dulce de leche I had smelled funky, and I didn't have the time or ambition to make the dulce de leche from scratch that night. I did happen to have a jar of caramel sauce, so I created Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes instead. The caramel flavor doesn't shine though enough to recognize, but it definitely enhances the chocolate flavor.

Chocolate Caramel Cupcakes
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup caramel sauce

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a bowl, whisk together the boiling water and cocoa until smooth. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until blended. In a separate large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

In another bowl, sift together remaining dry ingredients. In alternating batches, add flour mixture and then cocoa mixture to the egg mixture, beating well after each addition and ending with flour. Stir in the caramel sauce.

Fill cupcake wrappers slightly more than half full (as cupcakes will rise a lot during baking). Bake for approximately 18 minutes or until top springs back when touched. Cool on wire rack, and frost with desired frosting. Makes A LOT of cupcakes (approximately 36).