Dulce de Leche Cupcakes

Well, to be fair - they're more like vanilla cupcakes with dulce de leche frosting....but I mean, hey. yum.

So this is my first batch of test cupcakes for the upcoming wedding. The fiance has asked for dulce de leche cupcakes since I will be making the cupcake tower in lieu of a catered cake (definitely my favorite part of this wedding). When I saw this recipe I immediately book marked it and finally got around to making them this weekend!

I love the little candy pearls - gives them a fancier look. The best part of this is the cream cheese frosting infused with dulce de leche. As my brother, the lucky taste tester put it with cupcake in mouth and eyes as big as they could get, "these cupcakes are the best because the frosting isn't too sweet" - a YAY in my book since dulce de leche can tip over the sweet scale.

 These cupcakes are a keeper, albeit the next time they will be on display with proper cupcake liners and little bows all around the liners...I'm thinking gold liners. But really, these cupcakes are absolutely delicious. The frosting is ....I was floored. Cupcake #1 for the cupcake wedding tower, complete!!

Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
Adapted from: joy the baker
yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup lowfat buttermilk

Preheat your oven to 350F.

Whisk together your flour, cornstarch, baking powder and soda. Finally throw in your salt. Put aside

In another bowl cream the sugars with your butter and add in the vanilla. Add in the eggs one at a time. Then, slowly add your flour mixture into your wet ingredients, incorporating your buttermilk as you go along. Be careful not to over mix or you'll end up with tough cupcakes!

Fill your cupcake liners half full and bake for 15-18 minutes - keep a careful eye on them, there's nothing worse than a crispy cupcake top.

For the frosting
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup dulce de leche & extra for drizzling
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons of milk/buttermilk

Cream together your butter and cream cheese with an electric beater. Add in your dulce de leche and salt. Slowly add in 2-3 cups powdered sugar and some milk, adjusting for consistency. If too thick, add in some milk. If too thin, add in some sugar.

Pipe all over your cupcakes with a fancy piping tip or with the ziploc bag technique!

optional: warm some dulce de leche over low heat and drizzle onto the cupcakes. make sure your dulce de leche isnt boiling hot or you'll melt off the frosting - just heat the dulce de leche until juuuusttt pourable. If you'd like, you can also sprinkle on some sea salt (for that yummy sweet and salty flavor combo) or any other decorative garnish

Enjoy!!

                                                                                                                             Sam