This was a baking project born out of necessity. I’ve had leftover dulce de leche sitting in my fridge for a while and figured if I didn’t use it soon I would wind up having to throw it away. And since I’ve really been trying to cut back on how much food we waste, I wasn’t eager to do that. Side note, since I’ve started meal planning, I’m amazed by how little of our food winds up in the garbage as compared to when I was just shopping without much of a plan. Seems like common sense, I guess, but it’s all the motivation I need to keep up the meal planning, even if it isn’t always my favorite task every week π
So anyway, I’ve discovered that searching my cookbook collection for recipes that use dulce de leche is fairly useless. It’s just not an ingredient that’s found its way into cookbooks (at least the ones I own). There are only a handful of recipes, and I’ve made quite a few of them, so I wound up on Google to see what I could turn up. Enter these peanut butter dulce de leche cupcakes. The minute I saw them I knew I had to make them happen. It’s been a while since I made anything this indulgent, but oh man, these were worth every single bite.
The base is a devil’s food cupcake, which was a new recipe for me, and one I will definitely turn to again in the future. The cupcakes were moist and fluffy with lots of chocolate flavor, and they baked up with the most perfect little domes. The magic really starts to happen with the filling. It’s just three ingredients – peanut butter, dulce de leche, and a little heavy cream to thin the consistency, but it’s so good! Its thick consistency works so well as a filling, and it was perfection paired with the devil’s food cupcake and the peanut butter icing. The icing is not a new recipe to me, but it’s a favorite. Hands down the best peanut butter frosting I’ve tried. As a whole, this cupcake combo ranks up in my top 3 among things I’ve made, and so far I’ve done well to only eat one of them. These need to find a new home, and soon! Any takers? π
Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
from Smells Like Home
Devil’s Food Cupcakes
from Martha Stewart (via Smells Like Home)
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
Whisk the cocoa powder and water together in a small bowl then set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder and kosher salt together.
Add the butter and sugar to a medium saucepan. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Pour the buter/sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-low speed for 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture is cooled. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed and beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla, then the cocoa mixture and beat to incorporate. With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients (in 2 additions) with the sour cream (in 1), beating until just combined.
Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling them about 2/3-3/4 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cupcakes cool for about 5 minutes before removing them to the racks to cool completely.
Makes about 28 cupcakes
Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche Filling
from Smells Like Home, who adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
{Note: This recipe will make enough filling for about 2 dozen cupcakes.}
1 cup dulce de leche
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 – 1/3 cup heavy cream (depending on how thick you want your filling)
Combine the dulce de leche, peanut butter and 1/4 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan. Set over medium-low heat and warm, whisking frequently, until the ingredients are combined and the filling is smooth. If the filling is too thick, add additional cream to the pan and whisk to incorporate. The filling will thicken as it cools so keep that in mind.
Use a small paring knife to cut a cone-shaped piece from the center of each cupcake. Fill the hole with the peanut butter dulce de leche, then replace the top portion of the cone (you’ll need to slice off the tip).
Peanut Butter Icing
from Ina Garten (via FoodNetwork.com)
{Note: this recipe makes enough frosting for 12-14 cupcakes, so double it if you’re making the full cupcake recipe above.}
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
Add the confectioners’ sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-low speed until creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the heavy cream and beat the icing on high speed until it is light and fluffy.
Transfer the frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a tip. Pipe frosting into a swirl on each cupcake then garnish with chopped peanut butter cups, if desired.
Oh my goodness. Ever since I made those peanut butter fudge brownie bricks, nothing dessert-y has been able to satisfy my cravings for sweets. These might just do the trick! But I may be doomed to float in peanut butter-decadent dream world forever.
Wonderfully written. Beautiful Blog and the pics… Well, I may or may not have licked my monitor while viewing.. I’ll never tell!
Oh my gosh. You’re trying to kill me, I swear. π
What a great use for Dulce de Leche! I am a huge fan of the peanut butter and chocolate combination (borderline addict) and these look like they would hit the spot. Can’t wait to give them a try!
Great combination. My peanut butter cups rarely stand a chance at making it into baked goods unless I hide them from myself. π
Yummy, those are just gorgeous.
They look lovely! Great shots!
I love everything about these cupcakes!
so these are a really “light” offering then? π
kidding.
They look dense, rich, and combine my two faves: PB & Choc.
YUM!!!!
These look FANTASTIC!I’ll give some a home.
On a side note, meal planning- I’ve been doing this for about 6 months. I hate doing it, but found it really helps in keeping the budget down and using what I have. I used to coupon a ton and this is better than couponing. I’m buying better/healthier options and saving money at the same time! Good job! Keep it up- even though it can be tedious at times.
Wow. WOW. I love you Tracey, and that’s all I need to say.
I think I’ve gone to heaven in a cupcake! This has all my favorites in one!
I am absolutely in love with these cupcakes! They are so tasty looking!
Oh yummy!! They look so delicious!
Carsedra of:
http://sweets4yourtooth.blogspot.com/
What an apetite teaser, great works Tracey. After few minutes reads and watchs pictures … I’am getting hungry … lol
O My Word but those are beautiful cupcakes!! PB Chocolate Dulce – how can you go wrong with those ingredients!!
Your cupcakes look so pretty. I can’t remember if I like dulce de leche or not, but either way, these cupcakes look good.
Wow, this looks like a seriously decadent cupcake. I have yet to use dulce de leche. I think I need to change that. I have made the peanut butter frosting from Ina Garten and absolutely love it. I will have to try Martha’s devil’s food cake. These look great Tracey!
Omg, so much fun. Love the filling inside!
I can’t handle so much deliciousness in one treat! These are amazing Tracey.
I was skeptical about your claim that these cupcakes were at the top of your favorites list. I was wrong! There are a few other things you’ve made that I would rate higher but these cupcakes were heaven on a plate. Dense, rich, decadent, WOW!
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! Tracey, I don’t know HOW your posts are ALWAYS perfectly timed with my life. A friend requested I make her husband a pb/choc combo dessert for his bday. I was looking for a cupcake that was stuffed w/ something. Well, I found it! Thanks!
Peanut butter and dulce de leche sounds like a heavenly combination! I’ve made that frosting, and I agree that it’s fabulous.
These look absolutely delicious!
You definitely have me interested to try out the PB/dulce de leche combination! I never would have put those 2 together. I’m looking forward to trying it out!
These flavors look like they would be amazing together. A top 3 recipe? That’s saying something, given all the goodies you make on your blog!
yumm! there is nothing better than dulce de leche!!