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Dulce de leche cupcakes are soft, sweet and rich with a gorgeous caramel flavor. Whip up a batch for birthdays, holidays or anytime you have that sweet craving. A golden vanilla cupcake base hides a gooey caramel surprise in the center, and each cupcake is topped with silky swirls of dulce de leche buttercream. The texture is light but moist, and they look impressive. You don’t need any fancy skills to pull it off, but the end result will make you feel like a professional baker.
Why You’ll Love It
These dulce de leche cupcakes have a caramel-filled center and a rich swirl of dulce de leche buttercream. They’re soft, sweet and perfect for any occasion.
Caramel surprise inside: Each bite has a gooey dulce de leche center that takes these over the top.
Perfect for parties: They look impressive and taste even better.
Creamy frosting: The buttercream is silky, smooth and pipes beautifully.
Flexible recipe: It’s easy to swap the filling or use store-bought shortcuts if you need to.
Made from scratch: These cupcakes use real ingredients for a cozy homemade feel.
You might also like matcha dulce de leche ice cream, salted caramel peanut butter cups, mini caramel apple cheesecakes, and carrot cake cupcakes.
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: Creates structure for the cupcakes without making them too dense.
Baking powder: Gives the cupcakes a nice, fluffy rise.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness to both the cake and frosting.
Vegetable oil: Keeps the cupcakes extra moist.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the batter and balances the caramel while light brown sugar adds moisture and a hint of molasses. You can use one or the other if you don’t want to use both sugars.
Eggs: Help bind the ingredients and add structure.
Vanilla extract: Adds warm background flavor to the batter and frosting.
Whole milk: Loosens the cupcake batter just enough to stay tender.
Dulce de leche: Provides the rich caramel filling and flavors the frosting. (I used this one!)
Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
How to Make Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make the batter: Cream the butter, oil and sugars, then mix in the eggs and vanilla.
Combine dry and wet: Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk until smooth.
Bake the cupcakes: Divide into cupcake liners and bake until set, then cool completely.
Add dulce de leche filling: Core the center with a cupcake corer or sharp knife and pipe or spoon in the dulce de leche.
Make the buttercream frosting: Beat butter, add sugar, then mix in dulce de leche and vanilla.
Decorate: Pipe tall swirls with or without the striped piping technique.
Substitutions and Variations
Make it gluten free: Use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend in place of regular flour.
Switch the filling: Try caramel sauce or Nutella instead of dulce de leche.
Lighten the cream cheese frosting: Use less powdered sugar for a softer buttercream.
Add crunch: Sprinkle with crushed toffee or flaky sea salt.
Store-bought caramel: Save time with store-bought caramel. If doing this, choose a thick version so it holds up as filling and frosting flavor.
Serving Suggestions
With a drink: Enjoy a lavender matcha latte or cinnamon dolce latte with your cupcakes.
For dessert: Serve dulce de leche cupcakes after a meal of stracotto pot roast, sheet pan salmon and asparagus or taco salad.
How to Store
Store: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Let the refrigerated cupcakes come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freeze: To freeze frosted cupcakes, start by placing them uncovered on a plate or baking sheet and freezing for about an hour until the frosting is firm. Then wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can also freeze unfrosted ones and frost after thawing.
Thaw: Unwrap and let the cupcakes thaw at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.
Top Tips
Warm the dulce de leche if needed: If it’s too thick to pipe or stripe, microwave it briefly until soft enough to work with.
Cool cupcakes fully: Don’t add filling or frosting until the cupcakes are completely cool to avoid melting.
Alternate ingredients properly: Switching between dry and wet ingredients keeps the batter light and prevents overmixing.
Use room temperature butter: This helps create a smooth, fluffy frosting that blends easily with the dulce de leche.
Don’t overfill the liners: Fill each only about two-thirds full to avoid overflow and ensure even baking.
Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche FAQs
Yes, just store them in an airtight container and frost the day of serving if possible.
Spread a line of dulce de leche inside the plastic wrap before adding the frosting for a swirled look.
If you can’t find dulce de leche or want to make your own, it’s easy! Pour a can of sweetened condensed milk into a cake pan and cover it tightly with foil. Place the cake pan inside a large roasting pan, then add hot water to the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake at 350°F for about 3 hours, or until the mixture turns a rich caramel color.
Best Dulce de Leche Cupcakes Recipe
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Equipment
- Cupcake Pan 12-Cup
- Cupcake Corer or Sharp Knife
- Pastry Bag with Large Round Tip
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¼ Cup vegetable oil
- ¾ Cup granulated sugar
- ¼ Cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, large
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ Cup whole milk
For the Filling
- ½ Cup dulce de leche, store-bought is fine
For the Dulce de Leche Buttercream
- 1 Cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ⅔ Cups powdered sugar
- ⅔ Cup dulce de leche, store-bought, plus more for striping the piping bag, optional
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup cupcake pan with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together the butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and creamy.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk, mixing gently just until combined.
- Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
Add the Filling
- Core out a small section from the center of each cooled cupcake using a knife or cupcake corer.
- Fill with dulce de leche using a spoon or piping bag with the tip cut.
Prepare the Buttercream
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the ⅔ cup dulce de leche and vanilla, and beat until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Frost and Decorate the Cupcakes
- Spread or pipe a line of dulce de leche onto a large piece of plastic wrap.
- Spoon the frosting right alongside the dulce de leche line, then roll up the plastic wrap into a log, twisting the ends to secure it.
- Place the log into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip, pulling the twisted end through the tip and snipping it off so the frosting can pipe out.
- Pipe tall swirls onto each cupcake for a beautiful caramel ribbon effect.
Notes
Cool cupcakes fully: Don’t add filling or frosting until the cupcakes are completely cool to avoid melting.
Alternate ingredients properly: Switching between dry and wet ingredients keeps the batter light and prevents overmixing.
Use room temperature butter: This helps create a smooth, fluffy frosting that blends easily with the dulce de leche.
Don’t overfill the liners: Fill each only about two-thirds full to avoid overflow and ensure even baking.
Nutrition
If you love rich caramel desserts, you’ll definitely want to make these dulce de leche cupcakes. The center is creamy and sweet, and the frosting is pure perfection. Dulce de leche cupcakes are simple enough for beginners but impressive enough to bring out when guests show up. Keep a few ingredients on hand and you can whip up a batch whenever your sweet tooth demands a treat!
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