Bourbon Salted Dulce de Leche Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Have a shot
These cupcakes you guys!!! I know the tittle is long, but it’s precisely because of all the things going on in here that make these cupcakes a dream. The cocoa flavor is intense because I used a 100% chocolate bar plus Dutch cocoa powder. The salted dulce de leche brings the perfect salty caramel note that balances the sweetness. And they are crowned with a perfectly smooth and velvety brown butter cream cheese frosting that’s like a dream. You will be so happy bite after bite!
Do you wanna know why I’m so excited about these cupcakes? Well, these are my first cupcakes ever on the blog!! Hooray! Can you believe that?! You know I have never been a big cupcake person. I have made them for family parties but they had never made it to the blog. That was never their destiny. But a few days ago I offered to bring the cake to my brother-in-law’s birthday dinner, and I thought to myself: “it’s time Dev. You need to make some cupcakes for the blog.” Drama and everything included. So I did.
I knew I wanted to make something with bourbon because it’s one of his favorite liquors (and my husband’s so he was pretty excited as well). Besides, I though it wouldn’t hurt to have a bourbon shot in cupcake form. It was my husband’s idea to make them dark chocolate because that’s his favorite kind of cake. That’s how these cupcakes came to be!
The recipe is an adaptation of my Dark Chocolate Loaf Cake, another favorite around here as well! And the brown butter frosting came to my mind because I made a carrot cake the week before and used this frosting over there, deciding I will never ever make regular cream cheese frosting again. With a resolution like that, it was obvious that a second batch of brown butter cream cheese frosting needed to be made.
Even with the long tittle, I promise these are the easiest. For starters, you need only two bowls, no mixer required for the cupcakes and you can make the frosting with an electric hand mixer. The dulce de leche is straight from a can or jar. And prep and baking times are pretty short. Read below to learn what will be happening when you are making these cupcakes.
Making these Bourbon Dulce de Leche Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Frosting first: Traditionally cake recipes call to make the frosting after you bake the cake, but this frosting really benefits in flavor and texture from being chilled after made. It’s perfect for making ahead, but even if you can’t make it the day before, it will benefit from being chilled for a few hours.
Real life, I know!: If you can’t chill the frosting for a couple of hours, I recommend you start by making the brown butter and while it is hardening in the fridge you make the cupcakes. This way the butter will be ready to make the frosting when you finish up baking the cupcakes.
Melt the chocolate: Start making your cupcakes by melting the chocolate bar so it isn’t hot when it’s time to add it to the batter. I used a 100% chocolate bar. I wouldn't suggest anything less than 85% to keep the ultra dark dark chocolate flavor profile. Dry ingredients: With a hand whisk mix the dry ingredientes in a bowl to break any large lumps of flour.
Wet ingredientes: In a large bowl whisk together the wet ingredients until you have an homogeneous paste. Two bowls, that’s all you need!
Why the boiling water?: After you mix the two mixtures you need to pour over very hot water. Water not only brings lots of moist but it helps diluting the cocoa powder and melting any bit of solid chocolate, making the batter really smooth and the cupcakes really tender.
No hard “fillings”: mix the dulce de leche with two tablespoons of bourbon (exact measurements in the recipe), it will taste a bit strong but remember that booze always fades so keep this in mind when adjusting the taste. I really hope you can put your hands over dulce de leche for these, but if you can’t try using a soft and gooey filling like Nutella, caramel or chocolate ganache. You can use a pastry nozzle, an apple corer or a small knife to make a well in the center of the cupcake for filling. I prefer to return the cupcake cap but you can just leave them open and use the crumbs for making cake pops.
They ain’t the same: for this step you should use a finishing salt, not the regular fine sea salt you use for cooking. Finishing salt does not dissolve as fast as regular salt, will not make anything it touches watery and a few granules go a long way. I used “Fleur de Sel” here but I also love French grey salt and usually have one of these in my pantry. I love finishing lots of dishes with them like roasted potatoes, poached eggs, omelets, or over peppery greens salads such as arugula or spinach.
The crown: finish strong by crowning these with a high mount of the cream cheese frosting. Use a pastry bag or even a large ziplock bag to make that swirl and your cupcakes will stand tall and proud!
I can’t wait for you to make these. Please let me know if you make them or how bad you want to make these in the comments below. I know you will love these as much as everyone here did!
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Bourbon Salted Dulce de Leche Dark Chocolate Cupcakes with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Bourbon salted dulce de leche dark chocolate cupcakes
◯ 100% chocolate bar - 4 oz (1 bar)
◯ All-purpose flour (preferably unbleached) - 1 ½ cup
◯ Dutch cocoa powder - ¼ cup
◯ Natural granulated sugar - 1 cup + 2 TBSP
◯ Ground cardamom (Optional. A hint of nutmeg or cinnamon can work well as well if desired) - ¼ Tsp
◯ Fine sea salt - ½ Tsp
◯ Baking soda - ¾ Tsp
◯ Baking powder - ½ Tsp
◯ Eggs (preferably from free range chickens) - 3
◯ Vanilla extract - 1 Tsp
◯ Vegetable oil - ½ cup
◯ Sour cream (that has lost the chill from the fridge) - ½ cup (drain the liquid from the top)
◯ Hot water - 1 cup
◯ Dulce de leche - about 1 cup (half of a can)
◯ Bourbon (optional) - 2 TBSP
◯ Fleur de sel, French grey salt or other finishing salt that isn’t too coarse (optional) - about 1 TBSP (if using sea salt flakes use less quantity)
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
◯ Butter (salted or unsalted) - 8 TBSP (1 stick, ½ cup)
◯ Cream cheese (in bricks, not whipped) - 16 oz. (2 single boxes)
◯ Confectioner’s sugar, sifted - 3 ¾ cup
◯ Vanilla extract - ½ Tsp
◯ Fine sea salt - to taste (if using unsalted butter you will need a bit more than if you are using regular butter)
◯ Drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice (if you have lemons around)
Details
Yield:
16 to 18 cupcakes
Total time:
1.5 hours, including chilling and baking times
Active time:
15 minutes to make the frosting (divided), 10 minutes to make the batter, 15 minutes to fill and frost the cupcakes.
Equipment:
two bowls, stand mixer or electric hand mixer (for the frosting only), cupcakes pan and liners, optional: pastry nozzle or cupcake filler and pastry bags for filling and frosting (alternatives given in the post).
Steps
To make the cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 375°. Position rack in the middle of the oven.
Arrange cupcake liners in a regular sized cupcake pan (12 cupcakes).
Chop chocolate bar in small pieces and place them in a a bowl. Melt in the microwave in intervals, starting with 15 seconds and then 10 seconds two or three more times. Stir after each round, even after the first one where the pieces will probably be almost intact, to distribute the heat through the chocolate and melt as much as you can. Keep heating as needed until melted. Set aside.
In a medium bowl mix the 1 ½ cup of flour, the ¼ cup of Dutch cocoa powder, the cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar, the ¼ teaspoon of cardamom or any other spice you are using (optional, see notes), the ½ teaspoon of salt, the ¾ teaspoon of baking soda and the ¼ teaspoon of baking powder with a hand whisk to break any lumps of flour.
In a large bowl mix the 3 eggs with the teaspoon of vanilla extract with a hand whisk until the mixture looks smooth and homogeneous. Add the ½ cup of vegetable oil and the ½ cup of sour cream and mix well. Add the dark melted chocolate and mix to combine.
Dump the dry ingredients over the wet ones. Gently mix until there are no flour streaks. You will have a thick mixture. Carefully check your water to see it is hot (as in water for tea or instant coffee) and give it a few extra seconds in the microwave if necessary. Pour hot water over batter and mix well. The batter will look separated but it will come together after a few stirs. Using an ice cream scooper or large spoon fill each cupcake tin with batter about ¾ from the bottom up. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean after you insert it through one of the cupcakes from the center. Let the cupcakes cool down a couple of minutes before removing from pan. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Let the cupcakes cool down before filling and frosting.
To make the frosting:
In a small sauce pan place butter and start melting over medium to medium high heat. A couple of minutes after the butter has melted and is getting foamy start swirling the pan in place. As soon as the butter turns a deep amber color and smells nutty remove from heat. If possible strain it over a large bowl where you are planning to mix up the frosting. Place in the fridge to make the butter solid again, about 45 minutes to an hour.
In the meantime, take the cream cheese out to soften it.
Add softened cream cheese to the brown butter bowl and beat in medium high speed (#4 in the Kitchen Aid) until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Slow down the mixer and start adding the confectioner’s sugar in a few rounds. Add vanilla and add salt only if necessary. Add a few drops of lemon juice if using. Increase speed again and mix until frosting is light and fluffy and has no lumps of sugar, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Cover with cling wrap and set in the fridge. (If making a day before, let the frosting out for 5 minutes so it is a bit soft for frosting).
Filling and assembly:
Mix dulce de leche with the 2 tablespoons of Bourbon if using.
Using a pastry nozzle upside down (you can use an apple corer or small knife as well) remove some of the center of the cupcake. Fill each cupcake with a pastry bag or cupcake filler filled with the dulce or with a small spoon. Sprinkle a bit of the salt you are using on top. Replace the top again.
Fill a large pastry bag with the frosting and swirl it over cupcakes. Have a shot and have fun!
