These cupcakes are great for any fall occasion, but are especially perfect for Halloween. They are easy to prepare with a spice cake mix and canned pumpkin. Even the chocolate dulce de leche glaze is simple - just melt some dark chocolate chips into the dulce de leche and you get a shiny glaze that tastes fantastic.
To make these cupcakes even more decadent, you could fill them with dulce de leche - makes for a little surprise when you bite into them (see this how to video on filling cupcakes). The flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon pair well with caramel dulce de leche. Pecans or walnuts would go well with these flavors too. This recipe could be used to make a layer cake: Bake the cake batter in two 8 or 9 inch cake pans, spread dulce de leche between the layers, ice with dulce de leche frosting (or a chocolate frosting) and decorate with something fall-like or Halloweeny (like this spiderweb cake).Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 box spice cake mix
- 1 can of pumpkin
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- For the frosting:
- 2 cups dulce de leche, store bought or homemade
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- Candy for decorating
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners (this recipe should make 18-24 cupcakes).
- Place the spice cake mix in a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the vegetable oil, pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until very well mixed, about 2-3 minutes.
- Spoon cake mix into cupcake molds, adding about 1/4 cup of batter to each one.
- Place cupcakes in the oven and bake until cupcakes have risen well and their tops spring back lightly from your touch, about 15-20 minutes. Remove cupcake pan from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes or so, then remove cupcakes from pans and let cupcakes cool completely.
- To make the icing: Place the dulce de leche in a microwave safe bowl. Add the chocolate chips. Microwave for 20-30 seconds, then remove dulce de leche and stir. Return mixture to the microwave for another short interval, then stir. Repeat until chocolate is melted and mixture is spreadable and smooth. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
- Spread chocolate dulce de leche mixture onto the cupcakes, and decorate with a piece of candy corn or whatever decoration you prefer.
- Cupcakes will keep, wrapped or in an covered container, for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
Makes 18-24 cupcakes.
