Pumpkin Cupcakes with Dulce de Leche Frosting

These are delicious.  Although, I have to admit as to not making the dulche de leche.  Want to hear a funny story?  So, I wanted to make these.  I knew that I had seen dulce de leche somewhere, and I didn't want to make it.  So, I went to the store, bought regular sweetened condensed milk and what I THOUGHT was dulce de leche.  Get home, make the cupcakes, go to make the frosting and realize:  I haven't bought dulce de leche.  I bought sweetened condensed milk IN SPANISH.  I am so awesome I know.  

This recipe comes from Langes Fadchen.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

7.5 ounces pureed pumpkin 

. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners; set aside. 

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

4. Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Cool in pan on wire rack for ten minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

Dulce De Leche

Recipe from Sweetest Kitchen 

Makes just enough to fill cupcakes and use in frosting

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Open up the can and pour the sweetened-condensed milk into a pie pan. Cover tightly with foil. Place into a larger pan and pour boiling water in larger pan & around pie plate (level of water should be about halfway up the pie plate). Don’t let any water seep up and into the pie plate.

3. Place in oven and bake for one hour. At the one hour point, peel off foil and check for progress. If the mixture has thickened and turned a caramel color, it’s done. If it doesn’t quite look thick enough or dark enough, cover it up and bake it a little longer (might take up to 75 minutes or more).

4. When the mixture appears to have turned into a nice, thick caramel, remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes, and then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.

5. Measure out 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of dulce de leche and set aside for buttercream. Using the cone method, fill each cupcake with a small spoonful of the remaining dulce de leche and replace cake tops. 

Dulce De Leche Buttercream

Makes enough to generously frost 12 cupcakes

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons prepared dulce de leche

1. 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. Pipe generously onto cupcakes.