These Dulce de Leche Cupcakes bring together one of my favorite flavor combinations, chocolate and caramel! This recipe makes moist chocolate cupcakes piped with a dulce de leche caramel frosting made with cream cheese.
If you love baking cupcakes, I have so many Easy Cupcake Recipes from Scratch for you to try!
Why This Dulce de Leche Cupcake Recipe Works
- Recipe name: Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
- Ready in: 1hr 15 minutes
- Serves: 24 cupcakes
- Main ingredients: Cocoa powder, flour, oil, eggs, sugar, oil, sour cream, milk, dulce de leche, icing sugar, butter, and cream cheese.
- Perfect for: These make the perfect birthday cupcakes for kids and adults.
- Why I love it: This dulce de leche frosting is absolutely addictive! This version uses a cream cheese dulce de leche frosting for a balanced, not-too-sweet finish. The combination of caramel and chocolate just can't be beat.
- Calories: 363kcal
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Dulce de leche is one of my favourite ingredients to bake with! If you'd like to try other recipes using this, you can't miss these Dulce de Leche Cookies or this Churro Layer Cake with cinnamon swirls and dulce de leche frosting.
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Key Ingredients
- Sunflower oil - It ensures light and moist cupcakes. All vegetable oils have different properties and tastes, so choose a neutral-tasting oil like sunflower oil or canola for this recipe.
- Self-raising flour - If you don't have self-raising flour, you can make your own by sifting together cake flour or all-purpose flour and baking powder.
- Cocoa powder - Choose an unsweetened quality cocoa powder for this recipe.
- Strong-brewed coffee - I make a cup of strong coffee using ground espresso beans and a French press; you want great-quality coffee to add to your cupcake batter. You can also brew espresso or use ground espresso powder mixed with hot water.
- Cream cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese, such as Philadelphia. Make sure it is at room temperature to avoid lumpy frosting.
- Dulce de leche - I used store-bought dulce de leche, a tin of Nestlé caramel treat, to make this frosting. It is quite thick out of the tin and thus doesn't affect the buttercream's consistency.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
If you want to try out a vanilla version of this recipe, then use this easy Moist Vanilla Cupcake recipe instead and follow this recipe for the frosting and decorating!
How To Make Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2x 12-hole cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Step 2: Add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
- Step 3: In a jug, mix together the cooled coffee, sour cream, milk, and vanilla. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
- Step 4: With the mixer's motor running at medium-low speed, add the wet ingredients and the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Do this by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the cupcake batter again. Ensuring that it is well-mixed and lump-free.
- Step 5: Using a jug or ice-cream scoop, pour the chocolate cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake liners and bake in a preheated oven for about 12 - 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Step 6: Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dulce de Leche Frosting
- Step 1: Add the icing sugar and butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Step 2: Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 2 minutes.
- Step 3: Add the vanilla and salt, and beat again at high speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then beat at medium-high speed for a further 3 minutes, or until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Step 4: Add the dulce de leche and beat to combine. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle. Add the remaining dulce de leche to a plain piping bag.
- Step 5: Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake, then pipe a dollop of caramel on top.
- Step 6: Decorate with chocolate shavings if desired, serve, and enjoy!
How To Make Dulce de Leche at Home
To make homemade dulce de leche, submerge a sealed tin of sweetened condensed milk in a large pot of boiling water over high heat. It should take 2 to 3 hours to boil into dulce de leche. Make sure you are topping up the water as it evaporates. There must be enough water to cover the tin at all times. Once the caramel is done, allow it to cool completely. Only add room-temperature dulce de leche to your frosting; otherwise, the frosting will melt. If you love this Dulce de Leche Frosting, you have to try this Salted Caramel Buttercream.
Storage
Cupcakes cool quickly and dry out just as quickly, so try to frost them the same day that they are baked. If you don't have time to decorate them that day, store them in an airtight container or cover the cupcake trays in plastic wrap.
For any leftover filled and frosted cupcakes, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
Expert Tips
- Use an oven thermometer to check the true temperature of your oven.
- Don't overfill the cupcake cases, as this can lead to misshapen cupcakes.
- Ensure the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature before baking.
- Ensure the cupcakes have cooled completely before frosting.
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes FAQs
Check your oven's temperature and ensure you haven't overfilled the cupcake cases. Overfilling the cases can result in misshapen cupcakes.
Wait - having room-temperature butter is the most important step in a successful batter and frosting. Wait until the butter has reached room temperature before making this recipe, or cube the butter and heat it gently in the microwave, being careful not to melt it.
I always recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups when baking, this way you can ensure you've measured properly and that your baked goodies come out perfectly.
To freeze these delicious cupcakes, place any leftovers in a freezer-safe, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost properly before consuming them.
Yes! Store-bought dulce de leche works perfectly for both the frosting in this recipe and saves a lot of time.
More Dulce de Leche and Caramel Desserts
My favorite birthday cake growing up was a chocolate cake covered in dulce de leche, and this recipe reminds me so much of those celebrations! If you're looking for a cake recipe, read this post, The Best Chocolate Cake Recipes for Beginners, for some ideas on what to serve alongside these cupcakes. My vote goes to this Bar One Chocolate Caramel Cake!
If you love caramel dessert recipes, you cannot miss this Baileys Panna Cotta with caramel chocolate sauce or this Peppermint Crisp Tart.
Happy Baking, With Love, Kitty
Please leave a star rating and comment below if you tried this recipe! And if you're wondering what to try next, have a look at these Vanilla Nutella Cupcakes!
📖 Recipe
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Equipment
- 2x 12-hole cupcake pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 100 ml sunflower oil
- 340 g sugar white, granulated
- 4 eggs extra-large
- 340 g self-raising flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 160 ml strong-brewed coffee
- 120 g sour cream
- 140 ml milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dulce de Leche Frosting
- 600 g powdered sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter
- 250 g cream cheese
- ½ cup dulce de leche
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Decoration
- ¾ cup dulce de leche
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2x 12-hole cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
- Add the butter, oil, and sugar to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs to the sugar and butter mixture one at a time. Beat well between each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
- In a jug mix together the cooled coffee, sour cream, milk, and vanilla.
- With the mixer's motor running at medium-low speed, add the wet ingredients and the flour mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. Do this by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour and ending with the wet ingredients.
- Using a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix the cupcake batter again. Ensuring that it is well-mixed and lump-free.
- Using a jug or ice-cream scoop pour the chocolate cupcake batter into the prepared cupcake liners and bake in a preheated oven for about 12 - 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in their tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Dulce de Leche Frosting
- Add the icing sugar and butter to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and beat at medium-high speed until the frosting is smooth and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again for about 2 minutes.
- Add the dulce de leche, vanilla, and salt to the frosting and beat again at high speed.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat at medium-high speed for a further 3 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add the frosting to a piping bag fitted with your chosen nozzle. Add the remaining dulce de leche to a plain piping bag.
- Pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake and then pipe a dollop of caramel on top of the frosting. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- For a lump-free, smooth buttercream, make sure both the butter and cream cheese are at room temperature. Otherwise, you may get lumps of cold cream cheese in your frosting.
Alicia says
These came out perfectly, thanks for all your cupcake tips!