Salted Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cupcakes

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Salted Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cupcakes feature chocolate cupcakes filled with homemade dulce de leche, frosted with a dulce de leche buttercream, and sprinkled with flaky sea salt.

Now that you know how to make dulce de leche, let’s make something ultra-decadent with your freshly made batch.

I decided to get a little more creative than just using the rich caramelized sauce for dipping or as a topping and ended up with these Salted Dulce de Leche Chocolate Cupcakes.

These cupcakes are filled with my dulce de leche and frosted with a thick and smooth dulce de leche frosting. I topped it off with a sprinkling of sea salt, which turned out to be an excellent complement to such a rich dessert.

I tested the stuffing of these cupcakes several times in an attempt to avoid the typical way of stuffing cupcakes (cut out the center > fill > replace the top > frost). Why did I want to change something that already works? Because to me, it’s a tedious step and there’s always some cupcake that’s wasted because the tip of the top needs to be removed before replacing it back on the cupcake to make room for the filling.

Alas, I failed and could not find a way other than the tried and true way, so I just accepted that some desserts are worth tedious steps.

That being said, I am happy to report that I was able to get away with replacing the top without having to cut off anything (yay, no cupcake waste!). It all came down to the cupcake recipe. I used my classic chocolate cupcakes recipe, which are super moist and soft.

Because of how soft the cupcakes are and how the dulce de leche allows more give than regular frosting filling, I was able to replace the cut-out top by squishing it back in. It’s like it was never touched!

The frosting is a simple concoction of dulce de leche, butter, powdered sugar, and cream. Whip it all together and frost!

Sprinkle on a little sea salt and take a bite :) 

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Salted Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

Yields about 1 dozen cupcakes

Prep Time1 hour hr

Cook Time3 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1 stuffed, unfrosted cupcake

Calories: 792kcal

Author: Patty K-P

Ingredients

Classic Chocolate Cupcakes

• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (my favorite is linked in the notes below)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder (my favorite is linked in the notes below)
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup bread flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Homemade Dulce de Leche

• 1 quart 4 cups whole milk
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Dulce de leche buttercream

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche (recipe above)
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 to 4 tablespoons Heavy whipping cream
• Flaky sea salt

Instructions

Classic Chocolate Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard, 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a small bowl, combine the chocolate and cocoa powder. In a microwave-safe glass bowl or cup, heat the milk for 30 to 45 seconds, until steamy. Pour the milk over the chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir until melted and smooth. Store in the refrigerator to cool, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. Whisk to combine and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs, vinegar and extract.
• Stir the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
• In three additions, add the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, whisking to combine each time.
• Fill the prepared tin about ¾ full. Bake on the middle rack for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Homemade Dulce de Leche

• In a large saucepan or pot*, combine the milk, sugar, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Heat over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is simmering.
• Add the baking soda and stir to combine. When the baking soda is added, a lot of foam will be produced. If it looks like it will overflow, remove from heat immediately and continue stirring until the foam subsides. Return to low heat and allow to simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring every 20 to 30 minutes. As foam forms on the surface, skim it off. Do not mix it back into the mixture.
• Mixture is done when deep golden brown. Strain through a sieve into a heatproof container. Allow to cool before covering. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Dulce de Leche Buttercream

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium until pale and smooth. Reduce the speed to low and add the dulce de leche. Mix until combined.
• Add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until smooth. Add the cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until a spreadable consistency.

Assembly

• Use a paring knife to cut a cone out of the center of each cupcake, making sure to cut deep enough to almost reach the bottom. Set aside the cut-out cake. Fill the well with a spoonful of dulce de leche until it almost reaches the top. Replace the cut-out cake.
• Frost with the dulce de leche buttercream and sprinkle on flaky sea salt.

Notes

*Use a larger saucepan or pot than you think you'll need!
My favorite semi-sweet chocolate
My favorite Dutch-processed cocoa powder

Note: This page contains affiliate links that help make The PKP Way possible. Should you choose to purchase anything via those links, I will receive a small commission paid by Amazon, not you.

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