Dulce de Leche Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Swiss Buttercream

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• 1 can homemade dulce de leche (14 oz, if buying ready-made)
• 2 sticks butter, at room temp
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dulce de leche
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 recipes of Dulce de Leche Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Preparation

Step 1

Make the dulce de leche and let cool to room temperature (this can be done well in advance, just store tightly covered in the fridge).
Preheat oven to 350.
Line two muffin pans with paper liners.
Cream butter and sugar on med-high for 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times, until light, fluffy, and no longer grainy.
Scrape down the bowl and add the dulce de leche, mixing on medium for another 1-2 minutes, until thoroughly incorporated.
Add the eggs one at a time, and then add the vanilla.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt together, in three additions, alternating with two additions of the buttermilk, mixing until just incorporated.
Scoop batter into the lined cups, filling 2/3 - 3/4 full.
Bake 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned and a skewer in the center cupcake comes out clean.
Let cool 10 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
While the cupcakes are cooling, make the frosting.
To fill the cupcakes using the leftover dulce de leche, take a serrated knife and cut a cone out of the top of the cupcake, drop ~1 1/2 tsp into the cupcake, cut the bottom of the cone off and place the flattened top back onto the cupcake, lightly pressing down.
Frost and store covered for up to 4 days.

Dulce de Leche Swiss Buttercream:
4 egg whites
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 sticks unsalted butter, cubed and at room temp
1/3 cup dulce de leche

To make the frosting, whisk the egg whites and sugar over a simmering pot of water until the mixture reaches 160 degrees.
Transfer to a stand mixer and whisk on high 10 minutes, until the meringue reaches room temperature (the bowl should feel neutral/barely warm when touched).
Add butter, a few cubes at a time until all butter is mixed in.
Add dulce de leche and mix until combined.