Caramel-filled Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees C). Prepare cupcake trays and line with cupcake liners. Make homemade buttermilk by combining fresh milk with vinegar. Allow mixture to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Sift using a strainer to break up lumps.

Using either a whisk or with an electric mixer in another large bowl, combine and beat eggs together with buttermilk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add sugar to wet ingredients and mix until homogenous.

Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet, making sure to mix slowly to combine. Do not overmix.

Using an ice cream scoop, slowly scoop ingredients inside cupcake tray, only filling up the trays until 2/3 full.

Bake for 19 to 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Once done, remove cupcakes from oven and allow to cool thoroughly before frosting.

Prepare caramel sauce: heat up sugar in a saucepan. Once the sugar is melted, add 1/4 cup butter, cubed, and whisk until homogenous. Add cream last and mix well. Set aside to cool completely.

Make caramel buttercream frosting: beat remaining butter on Medium speed for 3 minutes using a mixer. Add half of the caramel sauce and vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time until ideal consistency is achieved. (It is possible to thin out the frosting by adding milk, and to thicken the frosting by adding more powdered sugar until desired consistency is achieved.)

TIP: No piping bag? You can use a zip-top bag to fill your cupcakes. Spoon the icing into the bag then snip off one corner-use this as the tip. Easy!

Frost cupcakes once entirely cool. Top each cupcake with a Cream-O cookie half, drizzle with extra caramel, and enjoy.