Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcakes: Sexy Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Last week, I posted a cute Valentine's Day cupcake that is perfect for kids, the Shirley Temple Cupcake. This week, I present you with a sexy Valentine's Day cupcake, the chocolate dulce de leche cupcake.

What Makes this Valentine's Day Cupcake Sexy?

I think just saying the word dulce de leche is sexy. Am I alone in this? It's even more sexy if you say "cho-co-lat" with a French accent and then go all Latin with "dulce de leche." You combine two extremely sexy cultures into one cupcake.



Will Making These Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcakes Get You More Valentine's Day Action?

I make no promises. However, it certainly can't hurt your chances, especially if you are particularly good at licking dripping dulce de leche off [insert body part here].


Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcake Reviews

Everyone enjoyed these cupcakes. My favorite review, however, was from my friend and massage therapist, Hao. Hao said that they were the best cupcakes she ever had. She is clearly a cupcake connoisseur. She also works across the street from Jilly's Cupcake Bar. If you need a massage, check out Studio Hao and then have a cupcake. Ah, bliss.


Chocolate Dulce de Leche Cupcake Recipe

For the chocolate dulce de leche cupcake recipe, I modified the cake I used in my Ferrero Rocher cupcakes. This original recipe has been modified from Sweets Made Here and makes about 30 cupcakes.

• 1 c boiling water
• 3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 c milk
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 c dark brown sugar
• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 t baking soda
• 1/2 t salt
• 2/3 c dulce de leche (Directions on how to make dulce de leche are found here.)

In a bowl, whisk the boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in milk and vanilla extract. In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Into another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to egg mixture in batches alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beating well after each addition. Stir in the dulce de leche. Fill each wrapper slightly more than 1/2 way. They will rise a lot. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Dulce de Leche Frosting

For the dulce de leche frosting, I simply spread some dulce de leche on top of the cupcake. Easy!

What is the Red Stuff?

To give the cupcake a bit more of a romantic feel, I put some red sugar on top of the cupcake. There is no need to buy red sugar - simply put some sugar in a bowl, add some red food coloring to it, and stir. I then used my culinary torch to brûlée the top of the cupcake. This is something you could do table side to really get the fire going for the evening.

If Fire is Your Thing...

You may also want to check out my coffee cupcakes with meringue. Those would also be perfect for a table side cupcake preparation.