Soft brown sugar cupcakes, a hidden pocket of golden caramel filling, and a swirl of rich dulce de leche cupcakes buttercream on top - these are the kind of cupcakes that make people stop mid-bite and look up. I first made them for a small Cinco de Mayo gathering at my house, mostly because I had a can of dulce de leche sitting in my pantry and no real plan for it. One batch later, they were completely gone. The whole thing comes together with everyday ingredients and no fancy techniques, which honestly makes them even better.
If you love cozy caramel-forward desserts, you might also want to bookmark my French Silk Chocolate Cake or these dreamy Maraschino Cherry Cupcakes for your next baking day.
Why You'll Love These Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
- The brown Dulce de Leche Cupcakes base is incredibly moist and tender, with a warm, almost toffee-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the caramel filling.
- Each cupcake hides a pocket of creamy dulce de leche right in the center - a little surprise with every bite.
- The dulce de leche buttercream frosting is rich and not overly sweet, silky smooth, and pipes beautifully.
- These are a great Cinco de Mayo dessert but honestly feel at home at any birthday, potluck, or weekend baking project.
- The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients with no complicated steps.
Jump to:
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes Ingredients
Here's everything you need. Gather it all before you start and make sure the dairy and butter are at room temperature - it makes a real difference in how the batter comes together.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
For the Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour : Forms the structure of the cupcake and keeps the crumb soft and even. Spooning and leveling prevents packing the flour, which would make the cupcakes dense.
- Baking powder : Gives the cupcakes their lift and soft, open crumb.
- Baking soda : Works alongside the baking powder and reacts with the sour cream to help the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Salt : Balances the sweetness and brings out the caramel notes in the brown sugar.
- Unsalted butter : Adds richness and helps create a tender, moist crumb. Room temperature butter creams much better than cold.
- Light brown sugar : Sweetens the batter and adds a warm, molasses-laced depth that makes these taste like more than just a vanilla cupcake.
- Large eggs : Bind the batter and add structure. Room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly.
- Full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt : Adds moisture and a subtle tang that keeps the cupcakes from tasting flat. Either one works great.
- Vegetable oil : Keeps the crumb moist even after the cupcakes cool. This is the secret to that soft texture.
- Pure vanilla extract : Rounds out the flavor and adds warmth.
- Whole milk : Thins the batter to the right consistency and helps everything bake evenly.
- Dulce de leche : The creamy caramel center. You'll need about 1 to 2 teaspoons per cupcake.
For the Dulce de Leche Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter : The base of the frosting. It needs to be fully softened for a smooth, creamy result.
- Dulce de leche : Flavors the entire buttercream with that deep, sweet caramel taste. This is what makes the frosting so special.
- Confectioners' sugar : Sweetens and thickens the frosting. Sifting keeps it lump-free.
- Pinch of salt: Cuts through the sweetness and makes the caramel flavor pop.
How to Make Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Follow these steps in order and you'll have bakery-style results with very little stress.
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with baking cups. This Dulce de Leche Cupcakes makes 14 cupcakes, so you may need to bake in two batches or use a second pan.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set it aside - you'll come back to it.
Cream butter and brown sugar: In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and packed brown sugar together until the mixture looks light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. It'll smell warm and caramel-like even at this stage.
Add the wet ingredients: Drop in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Then mix in the vanilla extract, sour cream, and vegetable oil. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go so everything gets evenly incorporated.
Alternate flour and milk: Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk - flour, milk, flour, milk, flour. Mix until the batter is smooth and uniform. Don't overwork it once the flour is in, or the cupcakes can turn tough.
Fill and bake: Divide the batter between the lined cups, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The tops will look golden and feel set. Transfer to a wire rack and let them cool completely to room temperature before filling or frosting - about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Dulce de Leche Buttercream
Beat the butter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (a hand mixer works too), beat the softened butter until it's creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add the sugar: With the mixer on low, gradually add the sifted confectioners' sugar and mix until it's fully incorporated and the frosting starts to look thick.
Mix in dulce de leche and salt: Add the dulce de leche and the pinch of salt. Mix until everything is smooth and combined. If the frosting feels too stiff, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. If it's too soft, add a little more confectioners' sugar until it holds its shape.
Prep the piping bag: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your tip of choice. Set it aside while you fill the cupcakes.
Assembly
Core the cupcakes: Use a cupcake corer or the large end of a frosting tip to press a shallow hole into the center of each cooled cupcake. Don't go all the way through - just deep enough to hold the filling.
Add the dulce de leche filling: Spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons of dulce de leche into each hole, filling it right up to the top.
Frost and finish: Pipe the dulce de leche buttercream over each cupcake. If you have a little extra caramel sauce left over, drizzle it across the tops for a beautiful finish. Serve and enjoy.
Ingredient Substitutions
Sour cream: Full-fat Greek yogurt works exactly the same way and gives you the same moisture and tang. Either works great.
Whole milk: You can use 2% milk in a pinch. Avoid skim - the fat helps with texture.
Vegetable oil: A neutral oil like canola works fine as a swap.
Dulce de leche: If you can't find it in the baking aisle, check the international foods section near the sweetened condensed milk. You need one 14-ounce can total for the filling and frosting combined.
Unsalted butter: If you only have salted butter, just skip the added salt in both the cake and frosting.
Equipment For Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
- Kitchen scale (for accurate measurements)
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 12-cup muffin tin
- Frosting bag and piping tip
- Cupcake corer or large frosting tip (for creating the filling hole)
Storage Tips For Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Room temperature: Store finished Dulce de Leche Cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: They'll keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before eating so the frosting softens back up.
Freezing: Freeze the unfrosted, unfilled Dulce de Leche Cupcakes for up to 3 months. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before filling and frosting.
Expert Tips
Room temperature everything: Cold butter won't cream properly, and cold eggs can cause the batter to look curdled. Set everything out at least 30 minutes before you start.
Don't overmix once the flour goes in: Overmixing develops gluten and makes cupcakes tough. Stir just until the batter looks smooth and stop there.
Spoon and level the flour: Scooping flour straight from the bag packs it down and adds too much. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge, or better yet, weigh it with a kitchen scale.
Let them cool fully: Filling or frosting a warm Dulce de Leche Cupcakes will melt the buttercream and make the filling run. Patience here pays off.
Pipe from the center outward: Start your frosting swirl in the center of the cupcake and work outward and upward in a slow, even spiral for a clean, bakery-style finish.
FAQ
How do you make dulce de leche cupcakes?
Start with a moist brown sugar cupcake base, bake and cool completely, then core each cupcake and fill it with dulce de leche. Top with a creamy dulce de leche buttercream frosting and a drizzle of extra caramel. The full step-by-step is in the instructions section above. A family tip: get the kids involved with the frosting step - it's messy and they love it.
What frosting goes well with dulce de leche?
Dulce de leche buttercream is the best match because it carries the same caramel flavor all the way through the bite. You could also use a plain vanilla buttercream if you want a lighter contrast, but the dulce de leche version is richer and really lets the caramel filling shine.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in cupcakes?
Yes, full-fat Greek yogurt is a great one-to-one swap for sour cream in this recipe. It adds the same moisture and a very similar tang. Just make sure it's at room temperature before mixing it in.
How do you make dulce de leche buttercream?
Beat softened butter until creamy, then gradually mix in sifted confectioners' sugar. Add dulce de leche and a pinch of salt and beat until smooth and fluffy. If it's too thick, a splash of milk loosens it right up. If it's too thin, a little more powdered sugar firms it back up. It comes together in about 5 minutes and the flavor is absolutely worth it.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Because the recipe makes 14 cupcakes, keep additional liners ready for a second small batch.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- Beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes, until pale, fluffy, and creamy.
- Add the eggs individually, mixing well after each one. Blend in the vanilla, sour cream, and vegetable oil, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix only until the batter becomes smooth and evenly blended.
- Divide the batter among the liners, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake for approximately 15 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Beat the softened butter with the paddle attachment for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Gradually incorporate the sifted confectioners' sugar on low speed until fully blended.
- Add the dulce de leche and salt, then beat until the frosting is smooth. If necessary, loosen it with 1-2 tablespoons of milk or thicken it with a little additional confectioners' sugar. Transfer the finished frosting to a piping bag fitted with your preferred tip.
- Make a shallow cavity in the center of each cooled cupcake using a cupcake corer or the wide end of a piping tip.
- Spoon approximately 1-2 teaspoons of dulce de leche into each cavity, filling it without overflowing.
- Pipe the dulce de leche buttercream over the cupcakes and add a light drizzle of any remaining dulce de leche if desired. Serve once decorated.
Leave a Reply