Dulce de leche is a very popular treat in South America. It is a milk-based caramel. You can find it at the stores (my favorite brand La Lechera) or you can make your own boiling a can of condensed milk but this process takes a bit of your time so I totally recommend buying it at the store.

And because pumpkin and dulce de leche are 2 of my favorite things, I had to put them together in a cupcake.

Soft pumpkin spice cupcakes topped with a vanilla-dulce de leche buttercream = Delish!

Let’s start with the recipe.

Follow me on Instagram so you can watch the video of how I made these cupcakes. Click HERE.

Yield 1 dozen cupcakes.

You can double the ingredients for a bigger batch

Ingredients

For the pumpkin spice cupcakes

1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

(If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, make your own: 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of ground ginger, and just use 3/4 teaspoon of this mixture, you can save the rest)

7.5 oz. of pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling). This would be the half of an 15 oz. can

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs at room temperature

For the vanilla buttercream

1/2 unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons cream

For the dulce de leche swirl

1 can dulce de leche by La Lechera

Directions

For the pumpkin spice cupcakes

1.- Preheat oven to 350F. Line your muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.

2.- In a bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice or individual spices. Mix with a fork and set aside.

3.- In another bowl and using an electric mixer, mix: pumpkin, granulated sugar, light brown sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. With the mixer in low speed, add the dry ingredients and beat until you don’t see any leftover flour. Do not overmix.

4.- Pour batter into each cupcake liner 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges of the cupcakes are a bit golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.

5.- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Then, transfer the warm cupcakes to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Note:

Remember that each oven works different, keep an eye on your cupcakes. After 16-18 minutes of being in the oven, check them out and decide if they need a couple more baking minutes.

For the vanilla buttercream

1.- Place butter into a bowl and using a mixer in medium speed beat your butter for 2 minutes. Then, add sifted powdered sugar little by little and cream both ingredients for about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high speed and mix for 3 more minutes.

2.- Add in vanilla extract, mix. Add in cream. Mix.

Now, let’s put the buttercream and dulce de leche together

1.- Cut a piece of plastic wrap and place it on a flat surface. Spread a good amount of dulce de leche.

2.- Spread some of the vanilla buttercream on top.

3.- Roll plastic wrap over to seal it good.

4.- Carefully place it inside of a piping bag fitted with a piping tip. I used Wilton 1 M tip.

5.- Frost your cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Don’t refrigerate these cupcakes. Storage them in a container.