Pear Dulce De Leche Cupcakes
Deliciously moist and fluffy pear cupcakes filled with rich dulce de leche and topped with a silky crown of dulce de leche Swiss meringue buttercream!
Ingredients
Pear Cupcakes:
- 3 ¾ teaspoons lemon juice, divided
- ¾ cup milk
- 6 ounces peeled and sliced pears (about 2 medium pears)
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Dash of nutmeg
- Dash of ground cloves
- Dash of ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dulce De Leche Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 4 egg whites
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, sliced into 16 pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 (13.4 oz) can Dulce De Leche, divided
Instructions
Make the Cupcakes:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Place 2 and 1/4 teaspoons lemon juice in a measuring cup. Add enough milk to the measuring cup to equal 3/4 cup; let sit for a few minutes.
- Puree the pears in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.*
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, spices, and salt together; set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars together until combined. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in the pear puree and remaining 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice.
- With mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk mixture until just combined; do not overmix.
- Pour batter into cupcake liners, about 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few crumbs attached. Allow cupcakes to cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream:
- Combine the egg whites, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, and place the bowl over a simmering pot of water. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until sugar is dissolved and the temperature registers 150-160°F on a candy thermometer, about 3 minutes.
- Secure whisk attachment onto stand mixer, and beat the egg white mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form. It should be fluffy and cooled to room temperature. Add the butter, one piece at a time, until smooth and creamy. If the mixture looks curdled, that’s totally normal–just keep beating until it becomes smooth and satiny.**
- Add the vanilla and 6 Tablespoons of the dulce de leche; beat until fully incorporated.
- Transfer buttercream to a piping bag, fitted with a star tip.***
To Assemble:
- Using a sharp knife, carve a hole into the center of each cupcake, about halfway deep. Remove cake piece and fill hole with 1-2 teaspoons of dulce de leche. Pipe the buttercream onto each cupcake. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
*I used Bartlett pears, which tend to be on the soft and juicy side. Anjou and Comice pears are also great options! If you’re using a crisper pear like Bosc, Seckel, or Concorde, you might want to cook the pears with a couple of tablespoons of water for a few minutes to soften them a little.
**If you find that your SMB still looks curdled no matter how long you’ve beaten it, simply remove a couple of tablespoons of the curdled frosting and place it into a small microwaveable bowl. Heat it in the microwave until it’s completely melted, then add it back into the mixing bowl. Turn the mixer on, and beat everything until it’s smooth. If it still looks curdled, just keep repeating this reheating technique a tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. If the buttercream looks soupy and runny, chill the bowl of frosting in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes. Take it out, then beat the mixture until smooth and satiny.
***I used Wilton's 1M tip.