Soft Moist Dulce de Leche Cupcakes
These dulce de leche cupcakes are soft, moist, and filled with a rich caramel center that melts into every bite. Finished with a creamy frosting swirl, they’re simple to make but feel like something straight from a bakery.
You can keep them classic with a smooth frosting or go one step further and add a dulce de leche swirl for that extra indulgent finish.
I’ve made these both ways — simple frosted and fully loaded with filling and swirl — and honestly, both work. But once you try that gooey center, it’s hard to go back. It’s one of those small changes that makes a big difference.
Why you’ll love these dulce cupcakes?
- Soft, light cupcakes with rich dulce de leche flavor
- Easy to make with simple ingredients
- Can be made with or without filling
- Flexible frosting options (classic or swirl)
- Perfect for making ahead
Ingredients and substitutes
- Dulce de leche is the star here, adding a rich caramel flavor. Use store-bought or homemade.
- All-purpose flour gives structure while keeping the crumb soft.
- Butter or oil keeps the cupcakes moist and tender.
- Sugar balances the sweetness and helps create a light texture.
- Eggs provide structure and stability.
- Milk or cream adds moisture and helps create a soft crumb.
- Vanilla enhances the caramel flavor.
Step-by-step: Dule De Leche Cupcakes
Make the cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk. Mix just until combined.
- Divide batter into liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until a skewer comes clean.
- Cool completely before filling.
Optional: Fill with dulce de leche
- Core the cupcakes – Use a knife or cupcake corer to remove a small center.
- Fill – Spoon or pipe dulce de leche into the center.
– You can skip this step for a simpler version.
Frosting
- Make frosting – Beat butter until smooth, add powdered sugar, then cream and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy.
Optional: Dulce de leche swirl frosting
- Create swirl – Spread a thin layer of dulce de leche inside a piping bag, then add the frosting.
- Pipe – Frost cupcakes to create a dual swirl effect.
- This gives that bakery-style caramel swirl without changing the base recipe.
Dulce de Leche Cupcakes (Filled with Caramel & Swirl Frosting)
Soft vanilla cupcakes filled with rich dulce de leche and topped with a light buttercream and caramel swirl frosting. Easy to make and perfect for a bakery-style finish at home.
Ingredients
Dulce Cupcakes
- 180 g (1½ cups) All-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 115 g (½ cup) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 150 g (¾ cup) Sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 120 ml (½ cup) Whole milk
Cupcake Filling
- 200 g Dulce de leche thick
Dulce Frosting
- 170 g (¾ cup) Unsalted butter room temperature
- 300 g (2½ cups) Powdered sugar
- 2 – 3 tbsp Heavy Cream or milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 100 g Dulce de leche for the swirl
Method
- Oven and Pan – Preheat oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a cupcake pan with liners.
- Dry Ingredients – In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.180 g All-purpose flour, 1½ tsp Baking powder, ¼ tsp Salt
- Wet Ingredients – In a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add vanilla.115 g Unsalted butter, 150 g Sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Dry to Wet – Add dry ingredients in two additions, alternating with milk. Mix just until combined.120 ml Whole milk
- Bake – Divide batter into liners, filling each about ⅔ full. Bake for 18–20 minutes or until a skewer comes clean. Cool completely before filling.
- Fill the cupcakes – Use a knife or cupcake corer to remove the center. Fill each cupcake with dulce de leche using a spoon or piping bag.200 g Dulce de leche
- Frosting – Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar gradually, then add cream 2 tbsp of Dulce De leche and vanilla. Whip until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).170 g Unsalted butter, 300 g Powdered sugar, 2 – 3 tbsp Heavy Cream or milk, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Create the swirl – Spread a thin layer of dulce de leche inside a piping bag. Add buttercream on top. Pipe swirls over cupcakes to create a dual frosting effect.100 g Dulce de leche
Notes
- Use thick dulce de leche for filling so it stays inside the cupcake
- Do not overmix batter or cupcakes will be dense
- Chill frosting slightly if it becomes too soft to pipe
- For clean filling, use a piping bag instead of a spoon
- The swirl works best when dulce de leche is spread inside the bag, not mixed into the frosting
- Store at room temperature (unfrosted) for up to 2 days
- Refrigerate frosted cupcakes up to 4 days
- Bring to room temp before serving
- Freeze unfrosted cupcakes up to 1 month
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for Success
- Do not overfill cupcakes or they will sink
- Let cupcakes cool completely before filling
- Use thick dulce de leche so it doesn’t run
- Chill slightly before piping if frosting is too soft
- Use a piping bag for clean filling and swirl
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filling leaks | Dulce too thin | Use thicker dulce or chill first |
| Cupcakes dense | Overmixed batter | Mix just until combined |
| Frosting too soft | Warm butter | Chill 10–15 mins |
| Swirl not visible | Dulce too blended | Layer it, don’t mix |
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Frequently asked questions
Do I have to fill the cupcakes?
No. They work perfectly as regular frosted cupcakes too.
Can I use store-bought dulce de leche?
Yes, and it works very well here.
How do I get a swirl frosting effect?
Spread dulce de leche inside the piping bag before adding frosting.
Can I make these ahead?
Yes, assemble the same day for best texture.
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I think some of the density issues might be from the recipe itself. I just made a batch following the instructions and my cakes didn’t rise and were really dense. Re-read the ingredients list and saw the leveling agents on the list but not mentioned in the written steps – remade with them added and they look correct now! I just added them w/ the flour.
Hey Chrissy, Yes, the baking powder and baking soda need to be added to the flour. Thank you for bringing the typo to my attention. I have just corrected it. Glad you enjoyed your cupcakes.Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
I am making these tomorrow, and I CAN’T WAIT!!! I do have a suggestion for your post….I am an experienced baker, so this was no big deal for me, but there are a few steps missing in your recipe. You might want to add them in just in case an inexperienced baker tries to attempt this recipe ? I can’t wait for these to melt in my mouth!!! Thank you!
Hey Emily. Glad you like this recipe. Let me know how you enjoy it. I will read the recipe again and see if something is missing. Feel free to let me know if you think some information is missing. Thanks
Made these last month and they were the best cupcakes we had. So soft and moist. The dulce de leche recipe is perfect too! Loved it all. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Iltzsc. So happy to hear that you had success with this recipe and love it. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it so much.
I made these yesterday. The flavour of the cupcake was ok but the cupcakes themselves were very dense. The icing would be better with less icing sugar. The idea is good but the outcome was less than impressive.
I’m sorry to hear that Annette. I have made these many times and my customers love it. The cupcake batter itself is a standard cupcake batter and should actually be very light not dense at all! Perhaps check the quantity of flour again. I agree the icing is sweet but you do need that powder sugar to hold it together or it’s too soft to pipe anything.
Super tasty cupcakes !! My family loved it. The cupcakes were soft just as you said. The icing is sweet but we love dulce de leche so it was truly enjoyed. Your blog is now my go to for all recipes.. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Thank you so much Molly for your feedback. I love getting positive feedback from anyone who has tried my recipes. Yes, the icing is a tad sweet but you need that sugar to hold the frosting together..! Glad you enjoyed it.
Tasty Cupcakes
What lovely recipes Veena .. Thanks for sharing these .. Love you !! I’m going to make these soon.
Love the recipe
Wow, you can’t go wrong with dulce de leche but to put all that goodness stuffed inside a cupcake it is even better. Yum.
Thanks, Dahn.
Never imagined these cupcakes would turn out so good .. Its a personal favorite !!!
Thank you so much Maggie. So happy to hear you say that.
OOooo… This looks yum !! I want to try these soon. I love your other cupcake recipes. They always come out perfect.
Thank you so much Tanya