Chocolate Cupcakes with caramel filling and salted caramel frosting

Made some delicious cupcakes today for a family reunion. These cupcakes are very rich so I made mini cupcakes instead of normal size so no one would go into sugar overload.Here is the recipe I used, it's a mixture of several recipes from around the internet with a few of my own touches.

Ingredients

Cupcakes
1 box of chocolate cake mix
1 package of chocolate pudding mix
ingredients cake mix calls for, usually eggs,oil, etc

Filling
18-20 oz of caramel soft candies, I used 2 bags of Kraft caramel bits found n the bakery aisle near choc. chips.
6-7 table spoons of heavy cream or milk

Caramel butter-cream frosting
2 sticks of room temp butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4-5 table spoons of heavy cream or milk
half of the caramel filling
 zip lock bag
 course sea salt
Directions

make the cupcakes first, they will need to cool. make as many cupcakes as your box mix will make, I got 4 dozen mini's out of it. Let the cupcakes cool. While the cupcakes are baking and cooling mix 1 bag of caramels with 3-4 table spoons of milk or cream. Microwave in 30 second increments and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set in refrigerator to cool. Beat the 2 sticks of room temp butter in a bowl for a minute or 2 until it is fluffy. slowly add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Add vanilla extract and liquid and mix until smooth.  Slowly add the caramel, be careful not to add too much if it is still warm as it will melt the icing. The mixture should be smooth, if it is still a little grainy add a little more liquid, a tablespoon at a time until it is right. refrigerate frosting until ready to use.

Mix up the other bag of candy and cream or milk. Use a butter knife to cut a hole in the top of each cupcake cutting in a cone shape. save tops in a bowl and set aside for later. Once the filling has cooled a little use a table spoon to drip filling into the open cupcakes. if the filling is too warm the cupcake will absorb it so be sure that it has cooled enough, but not so much they you can't work with it. After filling the cupcakes replace tops back on the cupcakes, covering the caramel filling.

Spoon the frosting into your zip lock bag and snip the corner, about 1/4 to 1/2 inch is good. Use the bag to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes. they might not be the prettiest but they will be delicious. Sprinkle course sea salt over the top of cupcakes. Refrigerate for at least an hour, then enjoy!