Girl Scout Samoa Cupcakes Recipe

Course: cupcakes, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 14

Cook Time: 16

Total Time: 30

Servings: cupcakes

Calories: 415kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Inspired by my favorite Girl Scout cookies (Caramel deLites), these Samoa cupcakes are the perfect mix of chocolate, caramel, and coconut!

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Cupcake Tin
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
Piping Tip Set (optional)

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:

13.25 ounces chocolate cake mix 1 box*
1 cup water **
½ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs room temperature

For the Caramel Buttercream:

½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick; room temperature
2¼ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup caramel sauce ***
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut toasted
Flaky sea salt optional, for garnish

Instructions

Bake the Chocolate Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-count standard cupcake tin with paper liners. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix the cake mix, water, oil, and eggs together.
13.25 ounces chocolate cake mix, 1 cup water, ½ cup vegetable oil, 3 large eggs
Divide the batter between the cupcake wells, filling each one with about ¼ cup of batter.
Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.

Make the Caramel Buttercream:

Place the softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar.
½ cup unsalted butter, 2¼ cups powdered sugar
Add the caramel sauce and mix until the buttercream becomes smooth, about 30 seconds. Turn the speed to medium and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, another 30-45 seconds.
¼ cup caramel sauce
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with your choice of tip and frost the cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and flakey salt.
⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, Flaky sea salt

Notes

*Use vanilla cake mix for a shortbread-inspired base.

***For richer cupcakes, replace the water with coconut milk or brewed coffee.

**Homemade caramel sauce, jarred/bottled caramel, or caramel ice cream topping can all be used. Though the ice cream topping variety may lead to a runnier frosting.

Tips:

Take care not to overmix the cupcakes; otherwise, they will turn out tough.
Don’t overfill the cupcake liners, or the cupcakes will overflow and collapse.
Take care not to overbake these cupcakes; otherwise, they may end up dry. They're ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry or with just a few moist crumbs.
Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt right off.
To make toasted coconut, bake unsweetened coconut at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until it is golden brown. Allow it to cool before using.
If you don’t have a piping tip set, place the frosting in a zip-top bag and cut the corner off to allow you to pipe the frosting.
Add a drizzle of melted chocolate over the finished frosting to make them look like the actual cookie.

Make-Ahead: You can bake the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead and store them at room temperature until ready to frost. Toast the coconut up to 1 week ahead and store it in an airtight container.

Storage: Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition