The caramel sauce MUST be cool for filling the cupcakes, so I recommend making it at least 1 hour ahead of time. Caramel sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 weeks, so it can be made far in advance if necessary.




If you do not have black cocoa powder, you can use an equal amount of dutch process cocoa powder.
Use a neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola oil. I recommend using light-tasting extra virgin olive oil.
It can be difficult to tell exactly how much to fill a cupcake pan, so to make it easier I recommend adding 5 tablespoons of batter to each. I used a 2 tablespoon & 1 tablespoon cookie scoops.
These cupcakes are best enjoyed the day they are made. If you would like them to last longer or to make them ahead of time, hold off with the meringue until the day they are served.