Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Out of this world!!! The combination of sweet flavors is just incredible. You NEED these in your life.
Texture: The cupcakes are ridiculously moist and soft, the dulce de leche stuffing is thick and sticky, and the chocolate cream cheese frosting is rich and luscious. Each bite is pure heaven.
Ease: Nothing too complicated here, though you will dirty some dishes.
Appearance: Like something from a bakery!
Pros: My new favorites cupcake.
Cons: Rich and indulgent.
Would I make this again? YES.
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Let’s face it, the world has been pretty over-saturated with cupcakes over the last few years. I mean, there are cupcake ATMs now.
We live in a ridiculously awesome world, but I can see why people might be tired of cupcakes. That’s why whenever I share a cupcake recipe with you all it has to be a REALLY fantastic one.
Fantastic is definitely a word to describe these dulce de leche banana cupcakes with chocolate frosting because I think everyone should make them immediately after reading this post.
Super moist and tender banana cupcakes are filled with dulce de leche then topped off with chocolate cream cheese frosting. I challenge you to think of anything better than that. It’s seriously my new favorite cupcake recipe and I hope it’ll be yours too.
By the way, in case you haven’t seen it before, dulce de leche comes canned and can be found at many grocery stores in the Latin food section. The most common brand is Nestle (it’s packaged in a tin can).
I’ve also seen higher end versions at specialty stores like Sur la Table, Williams-Sonoma, and World Market. You can also make your own dulce de leche with sweetened condensed milk.
More Recipes You’ll Love:
Dulce de Leche Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting
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Ingredients
For the banana cupcakes:
- 1 cup (127 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (67 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large overripe bananas, mashed
- About 1/4 cup prepared dulce de leche
For the chocolate cream cheese frosting:
- 8 ounces (227 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (43 grams) good-quality cocoa powder
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined. On medium speed add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add the mashed bananas and beat until combined. On low speed gradually add the flour mixture and beat just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Use a spring loaded scoop to fill each cupcake liner three-quarters full. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Use a small knife or apple corer to cut a small hole in the middle of each cupcake. Place the dulce de leche in a zip top bag and snip one small corner. Squeeze out about 1 1/2 teaspoons of dulce de leche into each cupcake.
For the frosting:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high until smooth and creamy. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a large bowl. On low speed gradually add the sugar and cocoa, beating until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and blend until smooth and creamy.
- Place the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Pipe frosting onto the cupcakes, directly over the filling. Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.
This post was originally published in 2014 and recently updated with weight measurements and new photos by Ashley McLaughlin Photography.
It really wasn’t meant to be a hateful comment and it is not, because I praised your delicious cupcakes! The only issue I have is with this cups, b/c in some recipes they use 1 cup= 240g, 1/2 cup= 120g, etc. and I know you can overfill the cup, if you’re not careful and you just scoop the flour with the cup- but this things you can actually see on TV, if you’re watching some cooking show and their cakes, cupcakes, etc. come out great. My only question/ concern here with these measurements was: why only half as much grams, instead the whole 240g like in the other recipes, which turned out great?!
I really didn’t want to be hateful at all! So I respectfully apologize, if I turned out to be like that!
I’m going to make them really soon and tell you how they’ve turned out, b/c they really do look so yummy and delicious!
Good luck in the future and I wish you many more yummy and delicious creations!
Tinka, thanks for clarifying the intention of your comment. Unfortunately I’m a little confused by your line of questioning. Every ingredient will weigh a different amount, so 1 cup DOES NOT always equal 240 g.
Now if you’re saying you’ve seen other recipes say that 1 cup of flour = 240 g then that is just wrong. The reason for offering weights in recipes is exactly because 1 cup of various ingredients will weigh various amounts. Does that clear things up?
These cupcakes look amazingly delicious Tessa! And yes you are right! We have just decided to make cupcakes! Yummm!! Great work! 🙂
You said: 1 cup (128 grams or 4.5 ounces) all-purpose flour- see, this pisses me off! Because no way 1 cup= 128 g or 4.5 oz, but twice as much: 240g or 8 oz. and even your grams nor ounces are right! Clearly you made a mistake and thought 1/2 cup. Ok, but if there weren’t grams and ounces in brackets, I wouldn’t know that you probably made a mistake and if I baked these yummy cupcakes, they wouldn’t come out right. So, I really hate that you, or other people with sites like this, don’t edit your recipes! I hope you will do that, so there won’t be anymore mistakes like this in the future!
Otherwise these cupcakes looks very yummy and I can’t wait to make them! (Hopefully of course it’s ment 1/2 cup of flour) 😉
Tinka, there really is no need for such a hateful comment. You are completely incorrect. 1 cup of lead would not weigh the same as 1 cup of feathers, would it? 1 cup of flour = 4.5 ounces (this may vary slightly by writer and by brand of flour). Every ingredient has a different density, here is a guide to help you understand: https://handletheheat.com/ultimate-guide-measuring/
I graduated from culinary school, am a professional recipe developer, and have not made a mistake here. It IS 1 cup of flour and your cupcakes will be a mess if you measure otherwise.
This is an interesting combination! Whenever I make dulce de leche I just put the can of condensed milk in my pressure cooker with the water covering the can and cook it for 45 minutes on med low (5) . The important thing is to let it cool to room temperature 5 – 6 hours before opening it. It’s perfect every time.
What a beautiful sweet treat! Craving a bite now! I love that frosting too… mmm!
mmm banana and dulce de leche sounds great!
Totally agree that there is a cupcake oversaturation, but I love it!! I’m totally obsessed with cupcakes, and these look out-of-this world awesome! Love that filling inside and your photos are gorgeous! Pinning!
Out of this world combo! I love it!
These could quite possibly be the best cupcakes I’ve ever seen. Love the flavors! Thanks and happy friday!
Er-muh-ger!! These look fantastic! I’ll be making them TODAY!
These are amazing! I love how you frosted these cupcakes 🙂
WHOA! What a sight to see on a Friday morning…these look incr-edible! Must make now. Is it acceptable to skip the gym and make these? Please say yes.
Pinned!