Indulge your sweet tooth with the best dulce de leche cupcake recipe. Experience a spoonful of dulce de leche in every bite. These delicious cupcakes are filled with rich and creamy dulce de leche and topped with a creamy dulce de leche buttercream.
Experience these irresistible dulce de leche cupcakes, a dessert that promises to take your taste buds on a heavenly journey. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking a delectable indulgence, these delightful treats are the perfect choice.
The moist and fluffy texture of our cupcakes are perfectly complemented by a rich and creamy caramel filling.
The dulce de leche filling is a velvety smooth, created by slowly cooking condensed milk until it transforms into a decadent caramel. With each bite, you’ll experience the luxurious and creamy essence that oozes from the center of these cupcakes.
What is Dulce de Leche?
Dulce de leche is a rich and creamy caramel-like sauce that originated in Latin America. It is typically made by slowly heating sweetened condensed milk until it thickens and turns a golden brown color. The slow cooking process allows the sugars in the milk to caramelize, creating a luscious and indulgent treat with a distinct caramel flavor.
Get ready to elevate your dessert experience with these easy dulce de leche cupcakes!
How to Make Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Ingredients:
Cake –
- ½ c unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ⅔ c sugar
- 6 egg whites
- ¼ c vegetable oil
- 2 ½ t baking powder
- 1 t salt
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 ¼ c milk
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 1 – 13 oz can dulce de leche (divided)
Frosting –
- 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 t salt
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 4 c powdered sugar
- 2-3 T. milk
- 1 – 13 oz can dulce de leche (divided)
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare cupcake pan by placing the cupcake liners for approximately 24-30 cupcakes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar.
Add in the egg whites, oil, baking powder, salt, vanilla and milk. Combine well.
Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again.
Add in half the can of dulce de leche and gently swirl into the batter by hand.
Divide cupcake batter using an ice cream scoop into the cupcake tin, filling half way.
Bake in preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned or when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
To make the dulce de leche frosting, combine the softened butter and powdered sugar until mostly combined in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Into the butter mixture, add in the salt, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk and a little less than half the dulce de leche – retain approximately 2 T. worth to drizzle over the frosting later.
Beat frosting until smooth – scraping the sides frequently and adding additional milk only if needed to bring the frosting together.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Gently pipe a spiral cone shape of frosting on each cupcake.
Place dulce de leche in a microwave safe bowl for about 15-20 seconds or until softened.
Using a spoon, carefully drizzle the extra dulce over each of the finished cupcakes.
Your delicious dulce de leche cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or frozen for 3 months.
Relevant Recipes
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes FAQ’s
Caramel sauce is typically made by heating granulated sugar until it melts and turns into a golden-brown liquid. Dulce de leche, on the other hand, is made by slowly heating sweetened condensed milk until it caramelizes and thickens. Caramel sauce tends to have a stronger caramelized sugar taste, while dulce de leche offers a more creamy and milky flavor profile.
The flavor of dulce de leche is rich, sweet, and creamy. It has a distinct caramelized milk flavor with hints of toffee, vanilla, and butterscotch. The slow cooking process of sweetened condensed milk gives dulce de leche its unique taste and aroma. It can be used as a filling, topping, or enjoyed on its own, dulce de leche adds a decadent and delightful flavor to desserts and baked goods.
Dulce de leche, when translated from Spanish to English, literally means “sweet milk.”
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes Recipe
Ingredients
- Cake -
- ½ c unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ⅔ c sugar
- 6 egg whites
- ¼ c vegetable oil
- 2 ½ t baking powder
- 1 t salt
- 1 t vanilla
- 1 ¼ c milk
- 2 c all purpose flour
- 1 - 13 oz can dulce de leche (divided)
- Frosting -
- 1 c. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 t salt
- 1 t vanilla extract
- 4 c powdered sugar
- 2-3 T. milk
- 1 - 13 oz can dulce de leche (divided)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare cupcake pan by placing the cupcake liners for approximately 24-30 cupcakes.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar.
Add in the egg whites, oil, baking powder, salt, vanilla and milk. Combine well.
Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Stop the mixer, scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again.
Add in half the can of dulce de leche and gently swirl into the batter by hand.
Divide cupcake batter using an ice cream scoop into the cupcake tin, filling half way.
Bake in preheated oven for 14-16 minutes or until lightly browned or when a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake.
Allow cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
To make the dulce de leche frosting, combine the softened butter and powdered sugar until mostly combined in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Into the butter mixture, add in the salt, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of milk and a little less than half the dulce de leche - retain approximately 2 T. worth to drizzle over the frosting later.
Beat frosting until smooth - scraping the sides frequently and adding additional milk only if needed to bring the frosting together.
Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Gently pipe a spiral cone shape of frosting on each cupcake.
Place dulce de leche in a microwave safe bowl for about 15-20 seconds or until softened.
Using a spoon, carefully drizzle the extra dulce over each of the finished cupcakes.
Your delicious dulce de leche cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge or frozen for 3 months.
Contains affiliate links as an amazon associate.