Buttermilk Cupcakes With Dulce De Leche Buttercream

I told you I would put the homemade dulce de leche to good use! There is nothing better than a light fluffy cupcake with a rich delicious buttercream. I was debating what cupcake to make with the dulce de leche, I was even considering chocolate, but then I thought it would be best to make something simple. Because the buttercream is quite rich I didn't want anything to take away from it. I'm glad I chose this buttermilk cupcake! It worked perfectly together. 

I must confess something. I often find icings too sweet, so I usually halve the icing sugar, which I did also in this case. I mean 4 cups is a lot of sugar! Anyway, I'm just saying that I don't believe in following the recipe to its every detail. Sometimes recipes should be  more of a guideline (does this make sense?). I finished up the cupcakes with a sprinkle of purple sugar crystals, which I thought looked really cute!

 

NOTE: I halved the cupcake batter, and had just enough icing for piping. If you are making the whole batch, you might want to double the dulce de leche buttercream.

Yellow Buttermilk Cupcakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart

Printable Recipe

3 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (21/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 large whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Round candy sprinkles (nonpareils), for decorating (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together both flours, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add whole eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add yolks, and beat until thoroughly combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and beating until combined after each. Beat in vanilla.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until cupcakes spring back when lightly touched and a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature and, if desired, decorate with sprinkles before serving.

Makes about 30 cupcakes.

Dulce De Leche Buttercream

Adapted from Joy The baker

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

3 Tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar (I used 2 1/2)

pinch of salt

3/4 cup prepared dulce de leche

Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer.  Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate.  Frost cooled cupcakes using a knife or a pastry bag and tip.