Dulce de Leche Banana Cupcakes

Quick Summary: These dulce de leche banana cupcakes are soft, moist banana cakes filled with a spoonful of dulce de leche and topped with chocolate whipped cream. Made from ripe bananas in a one-bowl batter, they bake in about 25 minutes. Assemble them the next day for the cleanest filling and frosting.

What are dulce de leche banana cupcakes?

These dulce de leche banana cupcakes pair chocolate and banana in a single small cake. Ripe bananas keep the crumb soft and moist, a spoonful of dulce de leche sits in the center, and a swirl of chocolate whipped cream finishes the top.

They take the idea of a plain banana cupcake a step further. The banana batter comes together in one bowl, and the filling and frosting turn each one into a proper tea-time treat.

What is dulce de leche?

Dulce de leche is a sweet, caramel-like spread made by slowly heating sweetened condensed milk until it thickens and turns deep golden. It comes from Latin America, where it is used to fill and top all kinds of desserts.

You can find canned dulce de leche in the Hispanic food section of many grocery stores, order it online, or make your own when you have a bit more time.

Why you'll love this recipe

• One-bowl batter: the cupcake batter is simple and quick to put together.
• Banana and chocolate: ripe banana cake pairs with a rich chocolate whipped cream on top.
• Dulce de leche surprise: a spoonful of dulce de leche hidden in the center makes every bite better.
• Make-ahead friendly: bake the cupcakes and start the frosting a day early to save time.
• Great with kids: an easy recipe to bake together.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Flour: use all-purpose flour to make these cupcakes.

• Baking soda, baking powder: both leavening agents are used for the recipe.

• Salt: enhances the cupcakes' flavor.

• Butter: use unsalted, softened butter. Bring it to room temperature 1 to 2 hours before you start.

• Sugar: use granulated white or caster sugar.

• Eggs: separate egg whites from egg yolks (use an egg separator) while the eggs are chilled. Then bring them both to room temperature.

• Milk: use whole milk.

• Lemon juice: make it yourself with a citrus juicer.

• Banana: ripe or even overripe bananas are best for flavorful banana cupcakes. Please read the Banana Bread recipe for tips on choosing bananas for baking.

• Whipping cream: it must be at least 30% fat to whisk properly.

• Milk chocolate: use Lindt milk chocolate to make the best frosting for banana cupcakes.

• Dulce de leche: use store-bought dulce de leche or your own dulce de leche from scratch. Commercially made dulce de leche is thicker than homemade.

Equipment

You need a few basic tools to make these banana cupcakes:

• muffin pan
• cupcake liners
• electric mixer
• mixing bowls
• rubber spatula
• cupcake corer
• pastry bag

How to make dulce de leche banana cupcakes

Step 1. To make the chocolate whipped cream, start the day before. Bring the whipping cream to a boil, then pour it over the milk chocolate broken into small pieces.

Step 2. Mix with a hand whisk (photo 1). Cover the cream with plastic film in contact and refrigerate overnight.

Step 3. Preheat oven to 335°F (170°C). To make the cupcake batter, whip the butter until creamy with a stand mixer or electric mixer.

Step 4. Add the sugar and whole eggs with egg yolks, and mix (photo 2).

Step 5. Add the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt) and whisk well (photo 3).

Step 6. Add mashed bananas, lemon juice, and milk and gently mix with a rubber spatula (photo 4).

Step 7. Pour the batter into a cupcake mold lined with cupcake liners, filling each cup to ⅔ full (photo 5), and bake for 25 minutes.

Step 8. Take cupcakes out of the oven and let them cool down (photo 6). 

Step 9. To assemble the cupcakes the next day, use a serrated knife to trim the tops (optional), then remove the center of each cupcake with a cupcake corer.

Step 10. Fill each cupcake with dulce de leche (photo 7) and top with a slice of fresh banana (photo 8).

Step 11. Whisk the whipping cream until firm peaks (photo 9). Transfer the cream to a pastry bag fitted with a Wilton 2D piping tip and pipe it on top of each cupcake (photo 10).

Expert tips

• Use very ripe bananas: the browner and spottier the skin, the sweeter and more flavorful the cupcakes.
• Bring ingredients to room temperature: soft butter, eggs, and milk blend into a smoother batter.
• Do not overmix: fold in the banana, lemon juice, and milk just until combined to keep the crumb tender.
• Swap the chocolate: replace milk chocolate with dark chocolate for a less sweet frosting.
• Fill neatly: use a cupcake corer and a pastry bag for a clean center and a tidy swirl on top.
• Frost on serving day: pipe the cream on the day you serve for the freshest look and taste.
• Save the extra dulce de leche: keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

Recipe variations

• Banoffee cupcakes: lean into the banana-and-toffee flavor with extra dulce de leche and a slice of fresh banana on top.
• Cream cheese frosting: swap the chocolate whipped cream for a chocolate cream cheese frosting for a tangier finish.
• Peanut butter twist: add a small spoon of peanut butter alongside the dulce de leche filling.
• Salted caramel: sprinkle a little flaky salt over the filling to balance the sweetness.
• Dark chocolate: use dark chocolate in the frosting for a deeper, less sweet flavor.

Storing & freezing

Store frosted banana cupcakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and bring them to room temperature before serving so the cake softens again. Unfrosted cupcakes keep at room temperature, covered, for a couple of days.

To freeze, wrap each unfilled, unfrosted cupcake in plastic film, place them in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, then fill with dulce de leche and frost before serving.

Recipe FAQ

What bananas are best for banana cupcakes?
Very ripe or overripe bananas with brown, spotty skins are best. They are softer, sweeter, and give the cupcakes the strongest banana flavor.

How do you ripen bananas quickly?
Bake whole, unpeeled bananas at 300°F (150°C) for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the skins turn black; then cool and mash. This softens and sweetens them quickly when you don't have time to wait.

Can you make these cupcakes in advance?
Yes. Bake the cupcakes and start the chocolate whipped cream one day ahead. The next day, whisk the cream, fill the cupcakes with dulce de leche, and decorate.

How do you freeze banana cupcakes?
Freeze them before filling and frosting. Wrap each one in plastic film, place them in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before filling and frosting.

How many calories are in a dulce de leche banana cupcake?
Each frosted, filled cupcake has about 441 calories. The exact number depends on the size and how much dulce de leche and frosting you use.

Love tea time desserts? Try these next!

• Pistachio Cupcakes
• Classic French Madeleines
• Classic French Financiers
• Magdalenas (Spanish Muffins)

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from www.christophemichalak.com/. It was originally published on June 24, 2018. The recipe has been revised to include improved content and photos.