Cupcakes are quite possibly the best dessert invention ever. A portable cake that you can eat with your hands? Filled cupcakes are extra special because of the hidden surprise inside! Here are some of the best cupcake infusions that really elevate the OG treat.


1. Melted Chocolate


A chocolate cupcake infused with melted chocolate is basically a portable chocolate molten lava cake, which is goals. You can do this by putting a handful of chocolate chips into the center of each tin full of cupcake batter, then baking the cupcakes as per usual.


2. Caramel


Imagine silky smooth caramel cascading out of your cupcake. Is your mouth watering yet? Pipe some caramel into baked cupcakes or put a caramel candy in the center of each tin full of cupcake batter and bake. Caramel is a great filling for a Snickers cupcake, but also try it with vanilla, brown butter, coconut (with some chocolate, this could become a samoa cupcake), and apple (for a caramel apple pie cupcake).


3. Vanilla


Despite how tame you may think vanilla is, the flavor has exotic origins. Vanilla comes from plants that grow in tropical areas, and harvesting the prized vanilla bean is no easy feat. After a long and complicated process, the end result is the immensely popular vanilla extract. Chances are you've had a vanilla cupcake at one time or another. As you probably already know, vanilla is one of the most common flavors found in candies, pastries and various sweet treats. In fact, like chocolate, the taste of vanilla typifies sweet desserts and confections for many of us, so it's not surprising that these cupcakes are so popular and easy to find.


4. Coffee


Coffee is featured prominently in desserts because it goes well with just about anything that tastes sweet. Therefore, there are a myriad of possible frosting options for coffee cupcakes. Chocolate, vanilla, butterscotch, almond, raspberry — really, any flavor that might go with a cup of joe is a possible contender for the cake or icing part of your cupcake. Even if you take your cup decaf, you have nothing to fear; decaffeinated grounds can easily be substituted into any coffee cupcake recipe.


5. Nut Butter


Nut butter, specifically peanut butter, is fabulous on its own, but it's even better inside a cupcake. Peanut butter filling with a peanut butter flavored frosting might be too much for some, but it sounds like heaven to a peanut butter lover. Fill your baked cupcakes with a piping bag full of peanut butter.


6. Oreos


Fill cupcakes with Oreos for a sweet, and crunchy surprise. Simply place Oreos in the middle of each batter-filled cupcake tin and bake. Oreos would be great in plain cupcakes, or within a red velvet cupcake cupcake.


7. Brownies


Who doesn't want another dessert inside of a dessert? That's what you get with brownie-filled cupcakes. To make, put a cooked brownie into each cupcake tin filled with batter, then bake like usual. Enjoy your double dessert!


8. Marshmallows


When you bake marshmallows into cupcakes, they get gooey and s'more-like. This is an easy filling- literally just stick a marshmallow into your unbaked cupcake and bake per usual, with no fancy ingredients or filling equipment necessary. This is a great filling for chocolate cupcakes, graham cracker crumb filled cupcakes (s'mores cupcakes!!), fruity cupcakes, hot cocoa cupcakes, and so much more.