Hey everyone, I've been playing around with various caramel fillings for my cupcakes and finally found a decent thickness that I like (it is pretty solid but not completely hard) but no matter how thick it is, it seems like after a few hours it has soaked into the cupcake. Any ideas how to prevent this?

Can you give us the recipe you are using, and maybe that would help us help you.

Why not make a caramel flavored buttercream instead of just using a thick caramel sauce?

I'm using the thick caramel filling from this site: http://cakecentral.com/recipes/6851/thick-caramel-sauce-or-filling

I've used a caramel buttercream in the past but the person I'm making them for has asked for a Rolo type cupcake which I don't think would be properly replicated by a buttercream-esque type filling. I was thinking I need some type of dam but don't really know what or how to execute.

How about putting a rolo into the cupcake before you bake it?

I use the Nestle dulce de leche for cake fillings. It's thick and shouldn't become watery, but you should still be able to fill your cupcake with it.

Ashley5260, that is the recipe i use. I really love it. I use it in smbc and also just straight on my layers. Everyone loves it so far. Good luck with yours also. I cook it a little longer that normal. I want to use it on my turtles candy this Christmas. Yum!!!

I did try baking a rolo in the cupcake first, it sank to the bottom and basically dissipated.

I like the Nestle Dulce de Leche too. I can't imagine it would soak into the cupcake.

Macsmom has a "bakeable" carmel filling in collection of recipies.

https://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df4f9hbq_46cs9f28fs&pli=1

sorry if this was already mentioned, didn't read through all the replies. You could also try digging out the center of the cupcakes(just a small dip), fill it with your caramel, and then put a yummy buttercream on top with finely chopped rolo pieces. Acutally, that sounds really yummy, i think I may make these

Oh and to keep it from soaking in, maybe put a thin piece of fondant down in the hole to hold it? Or use a small spatula and cover the bottom and sides of the hole with buttercream? Just a few ideas, my brain finally turned on

Well I just now did a turtle filling for a cake for tomorrow and I think it will hold up pretty well. I used those caramel bits that Kraft makes...not the squares..they're little rounds...and they're not real gummy and chewy so all I did was melt them with a little cream. I already had put on a layer of whipped ganache and then I poured the cooled caramel mixture on top of that. I topped the caramel with chopped pecans and then put a coat of more ganache on top of that.

Oh, and I put a thick dam of choc buttercream so the caramel wouldn't ooze out.

It's like the caramel is suspended in its own little space hopefully and won't melt into the cake.

You could line the hole with melted chocolate using a spatula, let it set a few minutes and then fill with caramel. Or the Rolo idea is brilliant too.

I've made mini brownie bites with Rolos in the middle with great success. The trick is to stick them into the brownie immediately after it comes out of the oven, while the centers haven't set yet. I understand that you are trying to put in cupcakes, I would try putting the Rolo in into a half baked cupcake and put them back into the oven to complete baking.
Hope it helps.

I have the same problem with the caramel. I have one customer that buys 1/2 every market. I would like to try the rolos, but then I am worried to change my filling, maybe he likes it to sink in the cake. I do the rolo idea, and it would be so much easier!