Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
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Overall, David and I don’t really have a sweet tooth 🦷 but we do have our moments. It usually comes as a surprise, as a wave and an intense craving… When it does, we simply need our sugar fix. The problem is it’s just the two of us in our house so when it happens, I have to make something on a smaller scale.
 
I’m more of a “muffin” person but once in a blue moon I don’t mind baking some cupcakes 🧁 with icing on top. I have a few recipes in my repertoire like Red Velvet, Maple Bacon, Chocolate Orange, Nutella, Lemon Sunshine, Margarita Cupcakes, Mango Vanilla, Cookies & Cream, After 8, Cappuccino, Classic Vanilla Cupcakes, etc.
 
The one I’m sharing with you today is my Dulce de Leche Cupcakes! OMG 😍! These cupcakes are so d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! They’re my husband’s favorite and also our friend Wilf’s… oh, my mother too plus my girlfriend Lucy, and… All right, these are everyone’s favorite in our circle, lol!
 
The first thing to make is the dulce de leche. Although quite close to each other, caramel and dulce de leche are not the same. One is made with sugar, heavy cream and butter, while the other one is made with a can of sweetened condensed milk. It simmers for hours 🕞 to achieve that thick consistency that caramel has. Are they similar in taste? I would say “yes” with a minuscule difference in flavor but not enough to be detected unless your palate is sharp like David’s…
 
It’s also safer to make 👩‍🍳 Dulce de Leche than caramel without screwing up. A few years ago, I shared my Salted Caramel Sauce with you. If the sauce is left on a couple minutes too long, it will have a burned taste to it. To make Dulce de Leche, the can has to simmer gently for hours… that’s all!
 
Without taking all the credit, these Dulce de Leche Cupcakes were initially my mother Nicole’s idea. She baked a few recipes in the past using simmered sweetened condensed milk. She made amazing pies 🥧, cakes 🍰 and cookies 🍪 with this ingredient. While we were on the phone talking about it, she suggested that I should try making cupcakes. That was a great suggestion!
 
Besides cupcakes, I also like to use dulce de leche when making my Turtles or my Dulce de Leche Chocolate Parfait… yummy 😋!
 
With a beautiful buttercream icing and a touch of “dulce”, these Dulce de Leche Cupcakes 🧁 are just sublime! It’s a delicious way to enjoy this popular Latin American flavor in cupcake form… Thanks Mom!
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Check out these other delicious dessert and snack recipes…😀
– Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Frosting
– Energy Berry Bites
– Pumpkin & Spice Cream Cheese Muffins
– Spicy Holiday Chocolate Bark
– Ooey-Gooey Cinnamon Buns
– Sesame Snaps
– Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
– Fig Newtons Cookies
and for even more great snack recipes 🍬🍭, click on this link… Recipe Category • Snacks
 

 
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Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

Decadent and delicious, these Dulce de Leche Cupcakes topped with buttercream icing and drizzled with more dulce de leche are just amazing!
5 from 36 votes
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Servings cupcakes

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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Passive Time 0 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

CUPCAKES

  • 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk Footnote
  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose four
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, such as demerara
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened tips & tricks
  • 2 large free-run eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup dulce de leche
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk tips & tricks
  • 1/2 tbsp. grapeseed oil, or other flavorless oil
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM ICING

  • 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup dulce de leche, divided
  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 small pinch fleur de sel, and more for garnish *optional

Directions
 

DULCE de LECHE

  • In a large pot of boiling water, place a can of sweetened condensed milk sideways (not standing up) – make sure there are no dents on the can.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2:20 hours, making sure it's always covered with water at all time.
  • When time is up, carefully remove the can and let it cool completely.

CUPCAKES

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • In a large bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt; whisk until well combined and set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream brown sugar and butter on medium speed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
  • To this, add 1/2 cup cooled dulce de leche and buttermilk; process on low speed and slowly increase to medium-high for about 1 ½ minutes, stopping and cleaning the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the dulce de leche mixture and process on low speed until just blended, about 45 seconds.
  • Add oil and pure vanilla extract and process for 30 seconds; the batter should have a nice smooth texture.
  • Insert cupcake liners in a muffin pan and using an ice cream scoop, fill up the cups with the batter about 2/3 full.
  • Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any trapped air bubbles before transferring to the preheated oven; bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs. Meanwhile, make the buttercream.
  • Remove from the heat and let the cupcakes cool off in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM ICING

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add cream cheese and butter; process until mixed. Add 2 tbsp. dulce de leche and process until fairly well combined.
  • Add half of the confectioners’ sugar and on low speed, process until mixed then increase to medium-high. Repeat the same steps with the remaining ingredients, cleaning the sides of the bowl. It’s optional but if wanted, add a tiny pinch fleur de sel and if so, process.
  • Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag with a large tip and ice the cooled cupcakes.
  • Warm up 2 tbsp. dulce de leche in the microwave until just pourable and drizzle over the buttercream. If wanted, sprinkle on a few grains of fleur de sel.
  • In a single layer, place the cupcakes in a large container and transfer to the fridge for 1 hour.

Notes

Footnote: Canadian cans are 300 ml or 10 oz. while Americans say 14 oz. Actually, both have the same amount in the can which is 1 ¼ cups.

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